OF  THE 
U  N  I  VER5  ITY 
or  ILLI  NOIS 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/whattodohowtodoiOObear_^0 


Th  E  :AM  E  RI  6  AN:B  OYS 

•  Handy:Book« 


BY 


Copyright  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
1882 


Trow's 

Printing  and  Bookbinding  Company 
201  to  213  East  Twelfth.  Street 

new  YORK 


PREFACE. 


Unless  boys  have  materially  changed  their  habits  in  the 
last  few  years,  it  matters  little  what  the  preface  of  this  book 
may  contain,  for  it  will  be  skipped  "  without  a  passing  glance. 
Still,  in  the  established  order  of  things,  a  preface,  even  if  unno- 
ticed by  younger  readers,  is  necessary  to  enable  the  author  to 
state  his  purposes  in  undertaking  the  work,  and  to  modestly 
put  forward  his  claims  on  public  attention. 

It  is  the  memory  of  the  longing,  that  used  to  possess  my- 
self and  my  boy  friends  of  a  few  years  ago,  for  a  real  prac- 
tical American  boy's  book,  that  has  induced  me  to  offer  this 
volume. 

The  sports,  amusements,  and  games  embraced  in  this  book 
are  intended  to  reach  the  average  American  boy  of  any  age, 
not  too  young  to  fly  a  kite  or  too  old  to  enjoy  a  day's  good 
fishing. 

The  book  is  based  upon  personal  experiments  and  expe- 
riences, and  is  free,  as  far  as  lay  within  my  power  to  make  it, 
of  foreign  or  technical  terms  or  phrases. 

,  Well  do  I  remember  the  impracticable  chemical  experi- 
ments, necessitating  professional  skill  and  the  use  of  compli- 


iv 


Preface. 


catcd  and  expensive  apparatus,  the  impossible  feats  of  leger- 
demain' and  the  time-worn  conundrums,  riddles,  and  games 
that  help  to  make  up  the  contents  of  the  boy's  books  of  my 
youth. 

Unfamiliar  and  foreign  terms,  references  to  London  shops 
as  places  to  procure  the  articles  mentioned,  glittering  generali- 
ties, and  a  general  disregard  for  details  are  the  marked  charac- 
teristics of  the  books  to  which  I  refer. 

Never  shall  I  forget  the  disappointment  experienced,  when 
after  consulting  the  index,  I  sought  the  article  on  paper  bal- 
loons and  found  only  the  bare  statement  of  the  fact  that  bal- 
loons made  of  paper  and  filled  with  heated  air  would  ascend. 
If  I  remember  aright,  the  whole  description  occupies  less  than 
four  lines. 

Although  the  greater  portion  of  the  contents  of  the  present 
volume  has  never  been  published  before,  some  of  it  appeared 
as  short  articles  in  the  St.  Nicholas  Magazine ;  and  the  direc- 
tions and  descriptions  then  given  have  been  tested  by  thou- 
sands of  boys  throughout  the  United  States,  and,  judging  from 
the  letters  I  have  received,  with  uniform  success. 

Of  course,  such  a  book  cannot,  in  the  nature  of  things,  be 
exhaustive,  nor  is  it,  indeed,  desirable  that  it  should  be.  Its 
use  and  principal  purpose  are  to  stimulate  the  inventive  facul- 
ties in  boys,  to  bring  them  face  to  face  with  practical  emergen- 
cies when  no  book  can  supply  the  place  of  their  own  common 
sense  and  the  exercise  of  personal  intelligence  and  ingenuity. 

Many  new  ideas  will  suggest  themselves  to  the  practical, 
ready-witted  American  boy,  many  simplifications  and  improve- 


Preface. 


V 


merits  on  the  apparatus  here  described ;  but  it  is  hoped  and 
expected  by  the  author  that  the  directions  here  given,  as  far  as 
they  go,  will  be  found  intelligible  and  practicable. 

Nor  is  the  volume,  as  is  too  often  the  case  with  this  class 
of  books,  only  to  be  made  use  of  by  lads  with  an  almost  unlim- 
ited supply  of  money  at  their  disposal. 

All  apparatus  described  are  either  to  be  constructed  of 
material  easily  obtained  by  almost  any  boy  without  cost,  or  by 
a  very  small  outlay. 

The  author  would  also  suggest  to  parents  and  guardians  that 
money  spent  on  fancy  sporting  apparatus,  toys,  etc.,  would  be 
better  spent  upon  tools  and  appliances. 

Let  boys  make  their  own  kites  and  bows  and  arrows  ;  they 
will  find  a  double  pleasure  in  them,  and  value  them  accord- 
ingly, to  say  nothing  of  the  education  involved  in  the  success- 
ful construction  of  their  home-made  playthings. 

The  development  of  a  love  of  harmless  fun  is  itself  no  value- 
less consideration.  The  baneful  and  destroying  pleasures  that 
offer  themselves  with  an  almost  irresistible  fascination  to  idle 
and  unoccupied  minds  find  no  place  with  healthy  activity  and 
hearty  interest  in  boyhood  sports. 


CONTENTS. 


SPRING. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

Kite  Time.,  ,   3 

Man  Kite,  5;  The  Woman  Kite,  9;  A  Boy  Kite,  11  ;  Frog  Kite,  11  ; 
The  Butterfly  Kite,  13  ;  The  King  Crab  Kite,  14 ;  Fish  Kite,  15  ;  The 
Turtle  Kite,  16;  The  Shield  Kite,  18;  A  Star  Kite,  19;  The  Chi- 
nese Dragon  Kite,  19;  The  Japanese  Square  Kite,  21  ;  The  Moving 
Star,  21. 


CHAPTER  H. 

War  Kites   23 

Unarmed  War  Kite,  23  ;  Armed  Kites,  24 ;  Armed  Kite  Fighting,  25  ; 
How  to  Make  the  Knives,  25  ;  How  to  Make  Cutters,  26 ;  Kite  Clubs,  27. 


CHAPTER  in. 

Novel  Modes  of  Fishing   28 

The  Bell  Pole,  28  ;  Jugging  for  Cats,  29  ;  The  Dancing  Fisherman,  31  ; 
Toy  Boats  for  Fishing,  32  ;  The  Wooden  Otter,  33  ;  Fishing  for  Fresh- 
Water  Clams,  33. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Home-Made  Fishing  Tackle  ,   36 

The  Rod,  36  ;  Tin  and  Spool  Reel,  37 ;  The  Forked  Stick  Reel,  38 ; 
Home-Made  Nets,  39 ;  A  Home-Made  Minnow  Bucket,  42 ;  Inhabi- 
tants of  the  Water,  43. 


viii 


Contents. 


CHAPTER  V. 

PAGE 

How  TO  Stock,  Make,  and  Keep  a  Fresh- Water  Aquarium   44 

Stocking,  53;  The  Frog,  54;  Gold-Fish  versus  Bass,  56;  Aquarium 
Cement,  57. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

How  TO  Keep  Aquatic  Plants  in  the  House  or  Flower-Garden . . .  58 
Water-Lily,  58;  Cat-Tails,  60. 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

How  TO  Stock  and  Keep  a  Marine  Aquarium   61 

Cement  for  Marine  Aquaria,  62. 

CHAPTER  Vni. 

How  to  Collect  for  Marine  Aquarium  _  .  66 


SUMMER. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Knots,  Bends,  and  Hitches  

How  to  Make  a  Horse-Hair  Watch-Guard,  74 ;  Miscellaneous,  75  ;  Whip- 
Lashes,  78  ;  Splices,  Timber-Hitches,  etc.,  78. 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Water-Telescope  

How  to  Make  a  Wooden  Water-Telescope,  83  ;  A  Tin  Water-Telescope, 
84. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Dredge,  Tangle,  and  Trawl  Fishing  

A  New  Sport,  86;  The  Tangle,  88;  The  Trawl,  88;  How  to  Make  a 
Bake-Pan  Dredge,  89  ;  A  Tin-Pail  Dredge,  90 ;  How  to  Make  a  Broom- 
stick Tangle,  91 ;  The  Old  Chain  Tangle,  91 ;  Hints  and  Suggestions  to 
Amateurs,  91 ;  The  Use  of  the  Tangle,  93. 


Contents.  ix 


CHAPTER  XII. 

PAGE 

Home- Made  Boats   95 

Birth  of  the  "Man-Friday"  Catamaran;  The  Crusoe  Raft,  95;  The 
Crusoe  Raft,  97 ;  The  Scow,  loi  ;  A  Floating  Camp,  or  the  Boy's 
Own  Fiat-Boat,  105  ;  The  Yankee  Pine,  113. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

How  TO  Rig  and  Sail  Small  Boats   118 

Simplest  Rig  Possible,  122 ;  Leg-of-Mutton  Rig,  124;  The  Latteen  Rig, 
126;  The  Cat  Rig,  127  ;  How  to  Make  a  Sail,  128  ;  Hints  to  Beginners, 
128. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Novelties  in  Soap-Bubbles   132 

Every  Boy  his  own  Bubble- Pipe,  132. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Fourth  of  July  Balloons,  with  New  and  Novel  Attachments   136 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

How  TO  Camp  Out  without  a  Tent   148 

Hints  to  Amateur  Campers,  159;  Provisions,  159;  Shelter,  159;  Choosing 
Companions,  160. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Bird  Singers,  Etc   161 

The  Block  Bird  Singer,  161;  The  Corn-stalk  Fiddle,  162;  The  Pumpkin- 
vine  Fife,  163;  A  Pumpkin- vine  Flute,  163;  Cane  Fife,  163;  The 
Voice  Disguiser,  164;  The  Locust  Singer,  164;  The  Hummer,  166, 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Bird  Nesting   167 

How  to  Collect  and  Preserve  Eggs,  167 ;  Birds'  Nests,  169 ;  Preserving 
Nests,  170. 


X 


Contents. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

PAGE 

How  TO  Rear  Wild  Birds  

Robins,  Thrushes,  Wrens,  and  other  Small  Birds,  171  ;  Squabs,  172;  The 
Cow  Blackbird,  172;  Wrens,  Sparrows,  and  Finches,  173;  The  Bobo- 
link, 173;  The  Catbird,  174;  Robins,  174;  The  Brown  Thrush,  or 
Thrasher,  175  ;  The  Wood  Thrush,  175  ;  Bluebirds,  176;  The  Summer 
Yellowbird,  176;  The  Bluejay,  177;  Humming-Bird,  177. 
r  ' 

CHAPTER  XX. 

How  TO  Rear  Wild  Birds— Conizmied   i3q 

The  Crow,  Hawk,  and  other  Large  Birds,  180  ;  The  Hawk,  182  ;  The 
Hawk  as  a  "Scare-Crow,"  183;  The  Hawk  as  a  Decoy,  183;  Owls, 
184;  Sea  Birds,  184;  Strange  Domestic  Fowls,  186. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Home-Made  Hunting  Apparatus,  Etc   i 

Spearing  Fish,  188 ;  How  to  Make  a  Fish  Spear,  188  ;  How  to  Make  the 
Torches  and  Jack-Lights,  190;  How  to  Make  the  Boomerang,  190;  To 
Throw  a  Boomerang,  192;  The  Miniature  Boomerang,  193  ;  The  Whip- 
Bow,  194;  Throw-Sticks,  195;  The  Bird  Bolas,  196;  The  Elastic 
Cross-Bow,  197. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

How  TO  Make  Blow-Guns,  Elder  Guns,  Etc.  .....   2c 

To  Make  a  Blow-Gun,  201  ;  Squirt-Guns,  202  ;  Elder  Guns  and  Pistols, 
203 ;  The  Spring  Shot-Gun,  205. 


AUTUMN. 

CHAPTER  XXIH. 

Traps  and  Trappings  

Rats,  210  ;  The  Paper  Pitfall,  211  ;  Jug  Trap,  212  ;  The  Mole  and  How 
to  Trap  Him,  213;  The  Figure  Four,  214;  Mole  Trap,  214;  The  Toll- 
gate  Trap,  215;  The  Partridge  Snare,  217;  Set-Line  Snares,  218:  The 
Spring  Snare,  219  ;  Hen-Coop  Trap,  221. 


Contents. 


xi 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

PAGE 

Dogs   223 

How  to  Choose  a  Dog,  224;  How  to  Train  Dogs,  226 ;  To  Teach  a  Dog 
to  Retrieve,  227  ;  Pointers  and  Setters,  228 ;  Pet  Dogs,  229. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Practical  Taxidermy  for  Boys   232 


Skinning,  233 ;  Stuffing,  236 ;  A  New  Manner  of  Preserving  Fish,  239 ; 
Design  for  Sketching  Aquarium,  241 ;  Preserving  Insects,  242 ;  Morse 
Insect  Box,  243  ;  The  Lawrence  Breeding  Box,  244 ;  Spiders,  245  ;  How 
to  Make  Beautiful  or  Comical  Groups  and  Designs  of  Insects,  245 ; 
Marine  Animals,  246. 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Every  Boy  a  Decorative  Artist   248 

Shadow  Pictures — Photographic  Paper — How  to  Enlarge  or  Reduce  a  Pic- 
ture, etc.,  248  ;  How  to  Enlarge  or  Reduce  by  Squares,  250;  How  to 
Make  a  Camera  for  Drawing,  252. 


WINTER. 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Snowball  Warfare   257 

How  to  Build  Snow  Forts — How  to  Make  Shields  and  Ammunition  Sleds, 
257  ;  How  to  Build  the  Fort,  258  ;  How  to  Make  an  Ammunition  Sled, 
260  ;  How  to  Make  the  Shield,  261 ;  Rules  of  the  Game,  262  ;  A  Snow 
Battle,  264 ;  How  to  Bind  a  Prisoner  without  a  Cord,  267 ;  Company 
Rest,  267. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


Snow-Houses  and  Statuary   269 

Snow  Statuary,  272. 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Sleds,  Chair-Sleighs,  and  Snow-Shoes   275 


A  Chair-Sleigh,  275  ;  Folding  Chair-Sleigh,  276 ;  The  Toboggan,  278 ; 
Snow-Shoes  or  Skates,  279. 


xii 


Contents. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

PAGE 

How  TO  Make  the  Tom  Thumb  Ice-Boat  and  Larger  Craft  281 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

The  Winged  Skaters,  and  How  to  Make  the  Wings   286 

Bat  Wings,  288  ;  The  Norton  Rig,  288  ;  The  Norwegian  Rig,  290 ;  The 
Danisli  Rig,  291 ;  The  English  Rig,  292 ;  The  Cape  Vincent  Rig,  293 ; 
A  Country  Rig,  294, 


CHAPTER  XXXH. 
Winter  Fishing  —  Spearing  and  Snaring  —  Fisherman's  Movable 

Shanties,  Etc   

Smelt  Fishing  and  the  Smelt  Fisher's  House,  297  ;  The  Spearsman's  Shanty, 
300 ;  Snaring  Fish,  301  ;  Spearing  Fish,  302  ;  How  to  Build  a  Fishing 
House,  303. 

CHAPTER  XXXHI. 

In-Door  Amusements  

Bric-a-Brac,  or  the  Tourist's  Curiosities,  305  ;  Mind-Reading,  309  ;  A  Liter- 
ary Sketch  Club,  310. 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
The  Boy's  Own  Phunnygraph  


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

How  to  Make  Puppets  and  a  Puppet-Show  

How  to  Make  the  Stage,  323  ;  The  Scenery,  323  ;  The  Old  Mill,  325 ; 
Puss,  325  ;  Corsando  and  the  Donkey,  327  ;  The  Royal  Coach,  328  ; 
Carabas,  330;  How  to  Work  the  Puppets,  330;  Stage  Effects,  331; 
How  to  Make  a  Magical  Dance,  332  ;  How  to  Make  a  Sea  Scene,  332. 


296 


305 


314 


322 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Puss-iN-BooTS,    Dramatized  and  Adapted  for  a  Puppet-Show  

Act  I.,  Scene  I.,  Landscape,  with  Tree,  Bridge,  and  Mill  at  one  side, 
334;  Scene  II.,  Woods,  336;  Act  II.,  Scene  I.,  King's  Palace,  337; 
Scene  II.,  High-road,  238;  Act  III.,  Scene  L,  Interior  of  Ogre's 
Castle,  341. 


Contents. 


xiii 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

PAGE 

How  TO  Make  a  Magic  Lantern — A  Kaleidoscope — A  Fortune-Tel- 
ler's Box,  Etc   345 

A  Home-Made  Kaleidoscope,  347  ;  The  Fortune-Teller's  Box,  348 ;  The 
Magic  Cask,  351  ;  How  the  Barrel  is  Made,  352. 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

How  to  Make  the  Dancing  Fairies,  the  Bather,  and  the  Orator.  .  354 
How  to  Make  a  Handkerchief  Doll,  354 ;  The  Bather,  356 ;  The  Orator, 
357. 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

How  TO  Make  Various  and  Divers  Whirligigs   359 

Potato  Mill,  359  ;  A  Saw-Mill,  360  ;  The  Rainbow  Whirligig,  361 ;  A 
Paradoxical  Whirligig,  363  ;  The  Phantasmoscope,  or  Magic  Wheel,  364. 

CHAPTER  XL. 

The  Universe  in  a  Card-Box   368 

CHAPTER  XLI. 

Life  Instilled  into  Paper  Puppets,  and  Matches  Made  of  Human 

Fingers   371 

To  Light  the  Gas  with  your  Finger,  373. 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

Home-Made  Masquerade  and  Theatrical  Costumes   374 

The  White  Man  of  the  Desert,  374;  "The  Fourteenth  Century  Young 
Man,"  375  ;  The  Mediaeval  Hat,  376  ;  The  Wig,  377 ;  Eyebrows,  Mous- 
'  tache,  and  Beard,  377  ;  The  Doublet,  377  ;  Trunks,  378;  Tights,  379; 
To  Dress,  379 ;  The  Baby,  379  ;  How  to  Make  a  Handkerchief  Hood, 
3»o- 


Spring, 


The   American  Boy's 
Handy  Book. 


CHAPTER  I. 
KITE  TIME. 

It  is  a  pleasant  sensation  to  sit  in  the  first  spring  sunshine 
and  feel  the  steady  pull  of  a  good  kite  upon  the  string,  and 
watch  Its  graceful  movements  as  it  sways  from  side  to  side 
ever  mounting  higher  and  higher,  as  if  impatient  to  free  itself 
and  soar  away  amid  the  clouds.  The  pleasure  is,  however 
greatly  enhanced  by  the  knowledge  that  the  object  skimming 
so  bird-like  and  beautifully  through  the  air  is  a  kite  of  your  own 
manufacture. 

I  remember,  when  quite  a  small  boy,  building  an  immense 
man  kite,  seven  feet  high.  It  was  a  gorgeous  affair,  with  its 
brilliant  red  nose  and  cheeks,  blue  coat,  and  striped  trousers. 

As  you  may  imagine,  I  was  nervous  with  anxiety  and  ex- 
citement to  see  it  fly.  After  several  experimental  trials  to  get 
the  tail  rightly  balanced,  and  the  breast-band  properly  adjusted, 
and  having  procured  the  strongest  hempen  twine  with  which  to 
fly  It,  I  went  to  the  river-bank  for  the  grand  event. 

My  man  flew  splendidly ;  he  required  no  rui;ning,  no  hoist- 
ing, no  jerking  of  the  string  to  assist  him.  I  had  only  to  stand 
on  the  high  bank  and  let  out  the  string,  and  so  fast  did  the  twine 
pass  through  my  hands  that  my  fingers  were  almost  bhstered. 


4 


Spring, 


People  began  to  stop  and  gaze  at  the  queer  sight,  as  my  man 
rose  higher  and  higher,  when,  suddenly,  my  intense  pride  and 
enjoyment  was  changed  into  something  very  like  fright. 

The  twine  was  nearly  all  paid  out,  when  I  found  that  my 
man  was  stronger  than  his  master,  and  I  could  not  hold  him  ! 


came  dancing  up  from  the  ground  toward  my  hands.  So  hard 
did  my  giant  pull  that  even  the  friend  who  had  kindly  come  to 
the  rescue  had  considerable  trouble  to  hold  him  in.  The  great 
kite,  as  it  swung  majestically  about,  high  in  the  blue  sky,  at- 
tracted quite  a  crowd  of  spectators,  and  I  felt  very  grand  at  the 
success  of  my  newly  invented  flying-man  ;  but  my  triumph  was 
short-lived.  The  tail  made  of  rags  was  too  heavy  to  bear  its 
own  weight,  and,  breaking  off  near  the  kite,  it  fell  to  the 
ground,  while  my  kite,  freed  from  this  load,  shot  up  like  a 
rocket,  then  turned  and  came  headlong  down  with  such  force, 
that  dashing  through  the  branches  of  a  thorny  locust-tree,  it 
crashed  to  the  ground,  a  mass  of  broken  sticks  and  tattered 
paper.    Although  the  sad  fate  of  my  first  man-kite  taught  me 


Japanese  Square  Kite. 


Imagine,  if  you  can,  my 
dismay.  I  fancied  my- 
self being  pulled  from  the 
bank  into  the  river,  and 
skimming  through  the 
water  at  lightning  speed, 
for,  even  in-  my  fright, 
the  idea  of  letting  go  of 
the  string  did  not  once 
occur  to  me.  However, 
to  my  great  relief,  a  man 
standing  near  came  to 
my  assistance,  just  as  the 
stick  upon  which  the 
twine  had  been  wound 


Kite  Time. 


9 


to  avoid  building  unmanageable  giants, 
the  experiment  was,  on  the  whole,  satis- 
factory, for  it  proved  beyond  a  doubt  that 
it  is  unnecessary  to  follow  the  conven- 
tional form  for  a  kite  to  make  one  that 
will  fly. 

Man  Kite. 


To  make  this  kite  you  will  require  four 
sticks,  some  rattan  and  some  paper.  In 
regard  to  his  size,  I  would  suggest  that 
the  larger  the  man  is,  the  better  he  will 
fly.    Now  let  us  suppose  you  are  going 
to  make  this  fellow  four  feet  high.  First, 
cut  two  straight  sticks  three  feet  nine 
inches  long ;   these  are  to  serve  for  the 
legs  and  body;  cut  another  straight  stick 
two  and  one-half  feet  in  length  for  the 
spine,  and  a  fourth  stick,  three  feet  five 
inches  long,  for  the  arms.    For  the  head 
select  a  light  piece  of  split  rattan — any 
light,  tough  wood  that  will  bend  readily 
will  do — bend  this  in  a  circle  eight  inches 
in  diameter,  fasten  it  securely  to  one  end 
of  the  spine  by  binding  it  with  strong 
thread,  being  careful  that  the  spine  runs 
exactly  through  the  centre  of  the  circle 
(Fig.  I).    Next  find  the  exact  centre  of 
the  arm  stick,  and  with  a  pin  or  small 
tack  fasten  it  at  this  point  to  the  spine, 
a  few  inches  below  the  chin  (Fig.  2).  Af- 
ter wrapping  the  joint  tightly  with  strong 
thread,  lay  the  part  of  the  skeleton  which  Skeleton  and_Frame  of  Maij 


6 


Sprmg. 


is  finished  flat  upon  the  floor,  mark  two  points  upon  the  arm- 
sticks  for  the  shoulder-joints,  each  seven  inches  from  the  in- 
tersection of  the  spine  and  arm-stick,  which  will  place  them  four- 
teen inches  apart.  At  these  points  fasten  with  a  pin  the  two  long 
sticks  that  are  to  serve  for  the  body  and  legs  (Fig.  3).  Now  cross 
these  sticks  as  shown  in  diagram,  being  careful  that  the  termi- 
nations of  the  lower  limbs  are  at  least  three  feet  apart;  the 
waist-joint  ought  then  to  be  about  ten  inches  below  the  arm- 
stick.  After  taking  the  greatest  pains  to  see  that  the  arm-stick 
is  perfectly  at  right  angles  with  the  spine,  fasten  all  the  joints 
securely.  Upon  the  arms  bind  oblong  loops  of  rattan,  or  of 
the  same  material  as  the  head-frame.  These  hand-loops  ought 
to  be  about  three  inches  broad  at  their  widest  parts,  and  exact 
counterparts  of  each  other.  The  loops  for  the  feet  must  ap- 
proach as  nearly  as  possible  the  shape  of  feet,  and  these,  too, 
must  be  exactly  alike,  or  the  kite  will  be  "  lopsided,"  or  un- 
equally balanced.  Now  cut  two  sticks  three  inches  long  for  the 
ends  of  sleeves,  and  two  others  four  inches  long  for  bottoms 
of  trousers  (Fig.  4) ;  fasten  the  two  former  near  the  ends  of  the 
arm-stick,  and  the  two  latter  near  the  ends  of  the  leg-sticks,  as 
in  the  illustration.  The  strings  of  the  frame  must  next  be  put 
on,  as  shown  by  the  dotted  Hnes  (Fig.  5).  Commence  with 
the  neck,  at  equal  distances  from  the  spine,  and  about  seven 
inches  apart ;  tie  two  strings  to  the  arm-sticks  ;  extend  these 
strings  slantingly  to  the  head,  and  fasten  them  to  the  hoop, 
one  on  each  side  of  the  spine,  and  about  five  inches  apart. 
Take  another  thread  and  fasten  to  the  top  of  cross-stick  of  right 
arm,  pass  it  over  and  take  a  wrap  around  the  spine,  continue 
it  to  top  of  cross-stick  upon  left  arm,  and  there  tie  it.  Fasten 
another  string  to  bottom  of  cross-stick  on  right  arm,  draw  it 
tight  and  wrap  it  on  spine  four  inches  below  intersection  of 
arm-stick,  pass  it  on  to  the  bottom  of  cross-stick  on  left  arm, 
draw  taut  and  fasten  it.    Tie  the  body-string  at  the  right  shoul- 


Kite  Time. 


der-joint,  drop  the  thread  down  to  a  point  exactly  opposite  the 
termination  of  spine  upon  the  right  leg,  take  a  wrap,  and  draw 
the  hne  across  to  point  upon  left  leg  exactly  opposite,  bind  it 
there,  then  bring  it  up  to  left  shoulder-joint  and  tie  it.  For 
the  trousers  fasten  a  string  at  a  point  on  right  arm-stick,  eleven 
inches  from  the  intersection  of  spine,  extend  it  down  in  a 
straight  hne  to  inside  end  of  cross-stick  of  left  limb  and  fasten 
it  there.  Tie  another  string  at  a  point  one  inch  and  a  half  to 
the  left  of  spine  upon  right  arm-stick,  extend  it  down  in  a 
straight  line  to  outside  end  of  cross-stick  of  left  limb.  Go 
through  the  same  process  for  right  leg  of  trousers,  and  the 
frame-work  will  be  complete. 

For  the  covering  of  a  kite  of  this  size  I  have  always  used 
tissue  paper;  it  is  pretty  in  color  and  very  light  in  weight. 
Paste  some  sheets  of  tissue  paper  together,  red  for  the  trousers, 
hands  and  face,  blue  for  the  coat,  and  black,  or  some  dark 
color,  for  the  feet.    Use  paste  made  of  flour  and  water  boiled 
to  the  consistency  of  starch.    Put  the  paste  on  with  a  small 
bristle  brush,  make  the  seams  or  over-laps  hardly  more  than 
one-fourth  of  an  inch  wide,  and  press  them  together  with  a  soft 
rag  or  towel ;  measure  the  paper  so  that  the  coat  will  join  the 
trousers  at  the  proper  place.    When  you  are  satisfied  that  this 
is  all  right,  lay  the  paper  smoothly  on  the  floor  and  place  the 
frame  of  the  kite  upon  it,  using  heavy  books  or  paper-weights 
to  hold  it  in  place.    Then  with  a  pair  of  scissors  cut  the  paper 
around  the  frame,  leaving  a  clear  edge  of  one-half  inch,  and 
makmg  a  sHt  in  this  margin  or  edge  every  six  or  seven  inches 
and  at  each  angle ;  around  the  head  these  slits  must  be  made 
about  two  or  three  inches  apart  to  prevent  the  paper  from 
wrinkHng  when  you  commence  to  paste.    With  your  brush 
cover  the  margin  with  paste  one  section  at  a  time,  turn  them 
over,  and  with  the  towel  or  rag  press  them  down.    After  the 
kite  is  all  pasted  and  dry,  take  a  large  paint-brush,  and  with 


8 


Spring. 


black  marking-paint,  india  ink,  or  common  writing  fluid,  put  in 
the  buttons  and  binding  on  coat  with  a  good  broad  touch.  The 
face  and  hair  must  be  painted  with  broad  hnes,  so  that  they 
may  be  seen  clearly  at  a  great  height.  Follow  this  rule  wher- 
ever you  have  to  use  paint  upon  any  kind  of  kite. 

The  breast-band,  or    belly-band,"  of  the  man  kite  should 

be  arranged  in  the  same 
manner  as  it  is  upon  the 
common  hexagonal  or  cof- 
fin-shaped kite  with  which 
all  American  boys  are  fa- 
mihar ;  but  for  fear  some 
of  my  readers  may  not 
quite  understand  I  will  try 
and  tell  them  exactly  how 
to  do  it.  First,  punch  small 
holes  through  the  paper, 
one  upon  each  side  of  the 
leg-sticks  just  above  the 
bottom  of  the  pants,  and 
one  upon  each  side  of  the 
arm-stick  at  the  shoulders. 
Run  one  end  of  the  breast- 
band  through  the  holes  at 
the  bottom  of  the  left  limb 
and  tie  it  fast  to  the  leg- 
stick  ;  tie  the  other  end  at 

Fig.  6.-Frame  of  Woman  Kite! ^^^^^  shoulder.  Take 

another  string  of  the  same 
length  as  the  first  and  fasten  one  end  in  the  same  manner  at 
the  bottom  of  the  right  leg,  pass  the  string  up,  crossing  the  first 
band,  and  tie  the  end  at  the  left  shoulder.  Attach  your  kite- 
string  to  the  breast-band  where  the  two  strings  intersect  in  such 


Kite  Time. 


9 


a  manner  that  you  can  slide  the  kite-string  up  or  down  until  it 
is  properly  adjusted.    For  the  tail-band,  tie  a  string  (to  the 

leg  -  sticks)  at 


the  bottom  of 
the  breas 
band  and  let 
it  hang  slack 
from  one  leg  fig.  7— Foot  of 
to  the  other. 
Attach  the  tail  to  the  cen- 
tre of  this  strincr. 

o 

The  Woman  Kite, 

though  differing  in  form, 
is  made  after  the  same 
method  as  the  man  kite, 
and  with  the  aid  of  the  dia- 
gram any  boy  can  build 
one  if  he  is  careful  to  keep 
the  proper  proportions. 
Remember  that  the  dotted 
lines  in  each  of  these  dia- 
grams represent  the  strings 
or  thread  of  the  frame- 
work (Fig.  6).  Use  small, 
smooth    twine    on  large 

kites,    and    good  stronsf 
Fig.  8.— Comic  Girl  Kite.  ^i,       1  ^1 

thread  on  the  smaller  ones. 

A  very  comical  effect  can  be  had  by  making  the  feet  of  the 
woman  kite  of  stiff  paste-board,  and  fastening  them  on  to  the 
line  which  forms  the  bottom  of  the  skirt  with  a  string  after  the 
manner  here  illustrated  (Fig.  7),  allowing  them  to  dangle  loose- 
ly from  below,  to  be  moved  and  swayed  by  each  motion  of  the 


spring. 


kite,  looking  as  if 
it  was  indeed  a  live 
woman  or  girl  of 
the  Kate  Greenaway 
style,  dancing  and 
kicking  in  the  clouds. 
Fig.Sshowsagirlkite 
with  feet  attached. 

The  costume 
given  in  the  illustra- 
tion may  be  varied 
according  to  fancy, 
with  the  same  frame- 
work. A  Dolly  Var- 
den  or  a  Martha 
Washington  cos- 
tume can  be  made. 
A  blue  overskirt  and 
waist  covered  with 
stars,  and  a  red  and 
white  striped  skirt, 
give  us  Columbia  or 
a  Goddess  of  Lib- 
erty. Attach  the 
breast-band  in  the 
same  manner  as  upon 
the  man  kite.  Let 
the  tail-band  hang 
loosely  below  the 
skirt.  By  a  slight 
modification  of  the 
frame  of  the  man 
kite  you  can  produce 


Kite  Time. 


II 


A  Boy  Kite 

that  will  create  an  unlimited  amount  of  fun  whenever  he  makes 
his  appearance  in  his  aesthetic  Kate  Greenaway  suit.  By  care- 
fully following  the  construction  according  to  the  diagram  (Fig. 
9)  the  average  boy  will  find  little  difficulty  in  building  a  twin 
brother  to  the  kite  in  the  illustration  (Fig.  lo). 

Still  another  strange  looking  kite  can  be  made  by  using  a 
piece  of  pliable  wood  bent  in  a  circular  form  for  the  body,  and 
allowing  the  leg-sticks  to  protrude  above  the  shoulders  to  form 
short  arms,  the  spine  extending  below  the  trunk  some  distance 
to  form  the  tail  to  a 

Frog  Kite. 

It  is  not  worth  while  to  build  one  less  than  two  feet  high. 
Let  us  suppose  that  the  particular  batrachian  we  are  now  about 
to  make  is  to  be  just  that  height ;  in  this  case  the  leg-sticks 
must  be  each  two  feet  long,  and  as  you  will  want  to  bend  them 
at  the  knees,  these  points  should  be  made  considerably  thinner 
than  the  other  parts  of  the  sticks.  The  spine  must  be  about 
one  foot  seven  inches  long,  or  a  little  over  three-quarters  of 
the  length  of  the  Jeg-sticks.  Place  the  two  latter  one  above 
the  other,  lay  the  spine  on  top  of  them,  and  see  that  the  tops 
of  all  three  are  flush,  or  perfectly  even.  Then  at  a  point  eight 
inches  from  the  top,  drive  a  pin  through  all  three  sticks,  care- 
fully clamping  it  upon  the  other  side  where  the  point  pro- 
trudes. For  the  body,  take  a  piece  of  thin  rattan  two  feet  five 
or  six  inches  in  length,  bend  it  into  the  form  of  a  circle,  allow- 
ing the  ends  to  overlap  an  inch  or  two  that  they  may  be  firmly 
bound  together  with  thread  by  winding  it  around  the  joint. 
The  circle  will  be  about  eight  inches  in  diameter.  Take  the 
three  sticks  you  pinned  together  and  lay  them  on  the  floor, 
spreading  them  apart  in  the  form  of  an  irregular  star,  in  such  a 


12 


Spring. 


manner  that  the  top  of  the  spine  will  be  just  half-way  between 
the  tops  of  the  leg-sticks  and  about  five  inches  from  each  ;  when 
you  have  proceeded  thus  far  place  the  rattan  circle  over  the 
other  sticks  ;  the  intersection  of  the  sticks  should  be  the  centre 


Fig.  II.— Frame  of  Frog  Kite.  Fig.  12.— Frog  Kite. 


of  the  circle  ;  with  pins  and  thread  fasten  the  frame  together  in 
this  position.  The  lower  limbs  will  be  spread  wide  apart ;  they 
must  be  carefully  drawn  closer  together  and  held  in  position  by 
a  string  tied  near  the  termination  of  each  leg-stick.  Cross- 
sticks  for  hands  and  feet  may  now  be  added,  and  the  strings 
put  on  as  shown  in  Fig.  ii.  This  kite  should  be  covered 
with  green  tissue  paper.    A  few  marks  of  the  paint-brush  will 


Kite  Time. 


13 


give  it  the  appearance  of  Fig.  12.  The  breast  and  tail-band 
can  be  put  on  as  described  in  the  man  kite. 

The  Butterfly  Kite. 

Make  a  thin  straight  stick  of  a  piece  of  elastic  wood,  or 
split  rattan  ;  to  the  top  end  of  this  attach  a  piece  of  thread  or 
string ;  bend  the  stick  as  you  would  a  bow  until  it  forms  an  arc 
or  part  of  a  circle  ;  then 
holding  the  stick  in  this 
position  tie  the  other  end 
of  the  string  to  a  point 
a  few  inches  above  the 
bottom  end  of  the  stick. 
At  a  point  on  the  stick, 
about  one-quarter  the  dis- 
tance from  the  top,  tie 
another  string,  draw  it 
taut,  and  fasten  it  to  the 
bottom  end  of  the  bow. 
Take  another  stick  of  ex- 
actly the  same  length  and 
thickness  as  the  frrst,  and 
go  through  the  same  pro- 
cess, making  a  frame  that 
must  be  a  duplicate  of 
the  other.  Then  fasten 
the  two  frames  together, 
as  shown  by  Fig.  13,  al- 
lowing the  arcs  to  over- 
lap several  inches,  and  bind  the  joints  securely  with  thread.. 

The  head  of  the  insect  is  made  by  attaching  two  broom- 
straws  to  the  top  part  of  the  wings  where  they  join,  the  straws 
must  be  crossed,  the  projecting  ends  serving  for  the  antennae  or, 


Fig.  13.— Frame  of  Butterfly  Kite. 


Fig.  14.— The  Butterfly  Kite. 


1 

..  ] 

14                          Spring.  j 

 .  j 

as  the  boys  call  them,  the     smellers  "  of  the  butterfly.  Now 

select  a  piece  of  yellow  or  blue  tissue  paper,  place  your  frame  j 

over  it,  cut  and  paste  as  directed  in  the  description  of  the  man  | 
kite.    When  the  kite  is  dry,  with  black  paint  make  some  mark- 
ing upon  the  wings  similar  to  those  shown  in  the  illustration, 

Fig.  14;  or,  better  still,  cutout  some  pieces  of  dark  colored  \ 

paper  in  the  form  of  these  markings  and  paste  them  on,  of  j 

course  taking  care  to  have  one  wing  like  the  other  (Fig.  14),  as  \ 
in  nature. 


The  King  Crab  Kite. 


Fig.  15.— Frame  of  King  Crab.  FiG.  16.— King  Crab  Kite. 

The  king,  or  ''horse  shoe  crab,"  is  famihar  to  all  boys  who 
live  upon  the  coast  or  spend  their  summer  vacation  at  the  sea- 


i 


Kite  Time. 


15 


side.  It  is  a  comparatively  simple  matter  to  imitate  this  crus- 
tacean in  the  form  of  a  kite ;  in  fact,  all  that  is  necessary  is  a 
slight  modification  of  the  old-fashioned  bow  kite  to  which  a 
pointed  tail  must  be  attached.  This  tail  can  be  made  as  shown 
in  the  illustration  (Fig.  15),  or  may  be  cut  out  of  a  piece  of 
paste-board  and  joined  to  the  kite  by  a  paper  hinge  ;  this  will 
allow  the  tail  to  bend  backward  when  the  wind  blows  against 
it,  giving  it  a  natural  appearance  ;  the  kite  and  pointed  tail, 
which  is  part  of  the  kite,  should  be  covered  with  yellow  paper. 
If  you  think  that  you  do  not  possess  sufficient  skill  with  the 
brush  to  represent  the  under  side  of  the  crab,  as  shown  in  the 
illustration  (Fig.  16),  you  can,  at  least,  paint  two  large  eye- 
spots  some  distance  apart  near  the  upper  end,  and  then  your 
kite  will  represent  a  back  view.  Attach  the  breast  and  tail 
bands  as  on  an  ordinary  bow  kite. 

Fish  Kite. 

Cut  two  straight  pine  sticks;  shave  them  down  until  they  are 
thin  enough  to  bend  readily;  see  that  they  are  exactly  the 
same  length  and  of  about  the  same  weight.  Fasten  the  top 
ends  together  by  driving  a  pin  through  them.  Bend  each  stick 
in  the  form  of  a  bow,  and  hold  them  in  this  position  until  you 
have  secured  a  third  stick  across  them  at  right  angles  about 
one-third  the  way  down  from  the  top,  or  ends  where  they  are 
joined  together.  The  fish  should  be  about  half  as  broad  as 
it  is  long.  Let  the  lower  ends  of  the  side  or  bow  sticks  cross 
each  other  far  enough  up  to  form  a  tail  to  the  fish,  and  fasten 
the  sticks  together  at  their  intersection.  Before  stringing  the 
frame  see  that  the  cross-stick  protrudes  an  equal  distance  from 
each  side  of  the  fish.  To  make  the  tail,  tie  a  string  across 
the  bottom  from  the  end  of  one  cross-stick  to  the  end  of  the 
other,  and  to  this  string  midway  between  the  two  side-sticks  tie 
another  string,  pass  it  up  to  the  root  of  the  tail,  draw  it  taut 


1 6  .  Spring. 


and  fasten  it  there  at  the  intersection  of  the  side-sticks  ;  this  will 
make  a  natural  hooking-fork  to  the  caudal  fin  (Fig.  17). 

The  remainder  of  the  strings  can  be  put  on  by  referring  to 
the  diagram,  care  being  taken  that  the  dorsal  or  back-fin  is 
made  exactly  the  same  size  as  the  fin  on  the  belly  of  the  fish. 
Yellow,  red,  and  green  are  all  appropriate  colors  for  the  paper 


Fig.  17.— Frame  of  Fish  Kite.  FiG.  i8.— Fish  Kite. 


covering  of  this  kite.  After  the  paper  is  pasted  and  dry  you  may 
amuse  yourself  by  painting  the  outHnes  of  the  gills  and  fins 
(Fig.  18).  The  kite  will  look  all  the  better  for  not  having  the 
scales  painted  upon  it.  Tie  the  strings  of  the  breast-band  to 
the  side-sticks  near  the  head  and  tail,  and  let  them  cross  each 
other  as  in  a  common  kite.  Attach  the  tail-band  to  the  tail  of 
the  fish. 

The  Turtle  Kite 

is  so  simple  in  its  construction  that  a  lengthy  description 
of  how  to  make  it  would  be  out  of  place.    All  that  is  necessary 


Kite  Tijne. 


17 


is  to  place  the  diagram  before  you  (Fig.  19)  and  go  to  work. 
Suppose  you  want  your  kite  to  measure  two  feet  from  tip  of 
nose  to  end  of  tail,  the  spine  or  centre-stick  must  then,  of 
course,  be  two  feet  long ;  make  the  leg-sticks  each  one  and  a 
half  foot  long,  place  the  stick  for  the  fore-legs  at  a  point  on  the 
spine  seven  inches  below  the  top,  put  the  stick  for  the  hind- 


FiG.  19.— Frame  of  Turtle  Kite 


Fig.  20.— The  Turtle  Kite. 


legs  eight  mches  below  the  fore-legs.  Adjust  the  hoop  so  that 
It  will  extend  four  inches  above  the  fore-leg  stick  and  the  same 
distance  below  the  hind-leg  stick.  Let  the  diameter  across  the 
centre  from  side  to  side  be  about  fifteen  inches.  Put  the  cross- 
pieces  on  for  the  head  and  feet,  run  a  thread  over  the  bottom 
end  of  the  spine  for  a  tail,  cover  the  whole  with  green  tissue 
paper  and  your  kite  is  done  (Fig.  20). 


l8  Spring.  

The  Shield  Kite. 

Make  the  frame  of  four  sticks,  two  straight  cross-sticks  and 
two  bent  side-sticks  (Fig.  21);  cover  it  with  red,  white,  and  blue 


Fig. 


Fig.  22.— The  Shield  Kite. 


21.— Frame  of  Shield  Kite. 

tissue  paper.  Paste  red  and  white  paper  together  in  stripes  for 
the  bottom,  and  use  a  blue  ground  with  white  stars  for  the  top 
(Fig.  22).    The  next  kite  is  not  original  with  the  author,  but  is 


Fig.  23. -Frame  of  Star  Kite.  Fig.  24.-Star  Kite. 

well  known  in  some  sections  of  the  country.  I  have  made  a 
diagram  of  it  at  the  request  of  a  number  of  boys  who  did  not 
know  how  to  make 


Kite  Time. 


19 


A  Star  Kite. 

Build  it  according  to  the  diagrams  (Figs.  23  and  24),  making 
the  sticks  all  of  equal  length,  and  cover  the  kite  with  any  col- 
ored paper  that  may  suit  your  fancy. 

The  Chinese  Dragon  Kite. 

This  kite  is  a  most  resplendent  affair,  and  glitters  in  the  sun- 
light as  if  it  were  covered  with  jewels.  It  is  rather  complicated 
to  look  at,  but  not  very  difficult 
to  make.  The  one  I  have  be- 
fore me  was  made  in  China. 

The  top  or  horizontal  stick 
(Fig.  25,  1-2)  is  three  feet  long, 
half  an  inch  wide,  and  one- 
eighth  inch  thick.  The  face 
can  be  simplified  by  using  a 
loop,  as  in  the  man  kite.  Two 
more  loops,  as  shown  in  the 
diagram,  will  serve  as  frames 
for  the  wings.  Paper  is  pasted 
upon  this,  and  hangs  loose  like  an  apron  in  front  below  the 
cross-stick  (1-2).    Cut  the  paper  long  enough  to  cover  the  first 


Fig.  26. 


disk  of  the  tail-piece,  as  shown  in  the  finished  kite.  Fig.  27. 
The  head-piece  is  ornamented  with  brilliant  colors,  bits  of 


20 


Spring. 


Fig.  27. — Portion  of  Framework  of  Tail. 

looking-glass  pasted  on  or  at- 
tached with  strings,  so  that  they 
dangle  loosely,  etc.  ;  this  makes 
the  top  rather  heavy,  as,  in  fact, 
it  ought  to  be,  for  then  it  serves 
to  balance  the  tail,  which,  in  this 
instance,  is  a  succession  of  circu- 
lar kites,  ten  inches  in  diameter, 
and  thirteen  in  number,  connect- 
ed with  one  another  by  strings. 
Attached  to  each  of  these  paper 
disks  is  a  slender  piece  of  reed 
or  grass  with  a  tufted  head  ;  a 
similar  tuft  is  fastened  by  a  string 
to  the  opposite  end  to  balance 


Fig.  27. — The  Chinese  Dragon  Kite. 


Kite  Time. 


21 


it  The  breast-band  is  made  like  that  upon  an  ordinary  kite  ■ 
the  cross-stnngs,  being  attached  to  the'face  at  the  top  and 
bottom,  .ntersect  each  other  about  opposite  a  point  beLe^n 

wh.!?;.'^  ■■-P'-esents  the  top  view  of  a  single  disk,  showing 
where  the  reeds  and  string  are  attached.  Fig.  27  shows  a  sid! 
v.ew  of  two  disks  and  the  way  in  which  they'are'connTct  d  by 

d  ks^  Til     "  ^P^"^^  "^^'"S  ''''  two 

disks.    A  (Fig.  27)  ,s  a  front  view  of  finished  kite. 

The  Japanese  Square  Kite 
is  not.  as  its  name  might  imply,  perfectly  square.    It  is  rectan- 
gular ,n  form,  and  made  with  a  framework  of  very  thin  bamboo 
or  cane  sticks,  bound  together  as  shown  in 


1  \ 

*  \ 

/  ! 

'  / 

\  1 

— -M 

Fig.  28.    This  frame  is  covered  with  Japan- 
ese paper,  to  which  all  the  sticks  are  tightly 
glued.    The  kite  is  bent  backward,  making 
the  front  slightly  convex,  and  held  in  this  po- 
sition by  strings  tied  from  end  to  end  of  the 
cross-sticks  at  the  back  ;  the  breast-band  may 
be  attached  as  on  an  ordinary  six-sided  kite 
Instead  of  a  tail-band,  with  a  single  tail  at- 
tached, this  foreigner  carries  two  tails,  one     Fig.  .8.-japanese 
tied  at  each  side  to  the  protruding  ends  of  the  ^^"^'"^  ^'t^  Frame, 
diagonal  sticks  at  the  bottom  of  the  kite.    The  illustration  on 
page  4,  of  two  boys  making  ready  to  fly  one  of  these  kites,  is  a 
copy  from  a  picture  made  by  a  Japanese  artist. 

The  Moving  Star 
is  a  paper  lantern  attached  to  the  tail  of  any  large  kite 

A  Chinese  lantern  will  answer  this  purpose,  although  it  is 

fo  sette  to  it  """"         '""^  ""^^ 


22 


To  make  a  more  suitable  lantern,  take  a  circular  piece  of 
^light  board  five  inches  in  diameter,,  drive  three  nails  in  the  cen- 
tre just  far  enough  apart  to  allow  a  candle  to  fit  between  them 
firmly.    Make  of  rattan  or  wire  a  light  hoop  of  the  same  diam- 
eter as  the  bottom-piece  ;   fasten  these  to  a  strap  or  handle 


of  wood,  or  wire,  as  shown  in  the  diagram  (Fig.  29),  and  cover 
the  body  of  the  lantern  with  red  tissue  paper. 

This  lantern  fastened  to  the  tail  of  a  large  kite  that  is  sent  up 
on  a  dark  night  will  go  bobbing  around  in  a  most  eccentric 
and  apparently  unaccountable  manner,  striking  with  wonder  all 
observers  not  in  the  secret. 


Fig.  29.— Frame  of  Lantern. 


CHAPTER  II. 


WAR  KITES. 

Like  all  soldiers,  war  kites  should  be  trim  and  martial  in 
appearance.  Their  uniform  may  be  as  brilliant  and  fanciful  as 
the  ingenuity  and  taste  of  the  builder  suggests,  always  remem- 
bering that  lightness  and  strength  are  essential  quahties.  An 
appropriate  name  c  r  emblem,  marked,  painted,  or  pasted  on, 
would  serve  not  only  to  distinguish  the  combatants  from  thei^ 
more  peaceful  brother  aerostats,  but  would  give  to  each  kite  an 
individuality,  and  thus  allow  successful  veterans  to  become  fa- 
mous throughout  kitedom.  There  are  but  two  arms  "  to  this 
novel  service/'  or  rather  two  modes  of  warfare.  The  first,  un- 
armed, might  be  compared  to  the  friendly  jousts  of  the  knights 
of  old  when  they  met  for  trials  of  skill.  The  second,  armed, 
is  more  like  the  mortal  combat  where  but  one  survives. 

Unarmed  War  Kite. 

The  usual  form  of  the  unarmed  fighting  kite  is  that  of  the 
ordinary  bow  kite.  It  should  be  made  about  two  and  one-half 
feet  high.  Base  of  bow,  fourteen  inches  below  top  of  spine  or 
centre-stick,  and  twenty-seven  inches  broad.  Cover  the  frame 
with  paper  cambric.  Make  the  tail  of  string,  with  stripes  of  ' 
colored  paper  inserted  in  loops  an  inch  or  so  apart.  A  paper 
tassel  at  the  end  will  give  it  a  finished  look.  Ten  feet  is  about 
the  proper  length  of  tail  for  a  kite  of  this  size. 

In  fighting  with  this  unarmed  soldier  the  object  is  to  cap- 
ture your  opponent's  kite  by  entangling  its  tail  in  your  own 


24 


spring. 


string.  To  do  this  you  must  make  your  kite  dart  under  the 
twine  of  your  enemy.  As  soon  as  it  darts  let  out  string  rapidly 
enough  to  keep  your  fighter  under  control,  and  at  the  same 
time  allow  it  to  fall  to  the  rear  of  the  other  kite.  Having  ac- 
complished this,  drop  your  ball  of  string  and  pull  in  hand  over 
hand,  as  fast  as  possible.  If  your  enemy  is  not  very  spry  and 
well  up  in  these  tactics,  this  manoeuvre  will  hopelessly  entan- 
gle his  kite-tail  on  your  string.  Then,  although  the  battle  is 
half  won,  a  great  deal  depends  upon  your  superior  quickness, 
skill,  and  also  upon  the  strength  of  your  twine,  which  may 
break,  or  your  victim  may  escape  with  the  loss  of  part  of  its 
tail.  If,  however,  you  are  successful  in  capturing  your  pris- 
oner you  can  write  on  your  kite  the  date  of  the  victory,  and 
the  name  of  the  vanquished  warrior.  The  captive  must,  in  all 
cases,  be  returned  to  its  proper  owner  after  the  latter  has 
signed  his  name  to  the  record  of  his  defeat  written  upon  your 
kite.  Thus  is  the  successful  hero  soon  covered  with  the 
records  of  his  victories,  while  the  unsuccessful  fighter  carries  a 
bare  blank  face. 

Armed  Kites 

are  of  a  more  relentless  and  bloodthirsty  order  than  the  strate- 
gic unarmed  warrior.  The  pecuHar  mission  of  these  rampant 
champions  of  the  air  is  to  cut  the  enemy  off  from  his  base  of 
supplies ;  then  with  a  satisfied  wriggle,  and  a  fiendish  wag  of  the 
tail,  this  ferocious  flyer  sails  serenely  on,  while  his  ruined  victim 
falls  helplessly  to  the  earth,  or  ignominiously  hangs  himself  on 
some  uncongenial  tree,  where  his  skeleton  will  struggle  and 
swing  until  beaten  to  pieces  by  the  very  element  that  sustained 
him  in  his  elevation  before  his  thread  of  life  was  cut.  In  this 
sport,  new  to  most  Northern  boys,  they  will  find  an  exciting 
and  healthy  pastime,  one  that  will  teach  them  to  think  and  act 
quickly,  a  quality  that  when  acquired  may  be  of  infinite  service 
to  them  in  after  years. 


PVar  Kites. 


25 


Armed  Kite  Fighting. 

These  aero-nautical  cutters  might  be  appropriately  named 
^h^J^corpion,  "  Stingerree,"  Wasp,  or  Hornet,  because  they 
fight  with  their  tails,  the  sting  of  the  insect  being  represented 
on  the  kite-tail  by  the  razor-like  cutters. 

The  tactics  used  in  these  battles  of  the  clouds  are  just  the 
opposite  from  those  employed  in  fighting  with  unarmed  kites 

To  win  the  battle  you  so  manoeuvre  your  warrior  that  its  tail 
sweeps  across  and  cuts  the  string  of  your  antagonist. 
^  Armed  kites  are  usually  made  after  the  pattern  of  the  Amer- 
ican six-sided  or  hexagonal  kite.  They  are  two  and  one-half 
feet  high,  covered  with  paper  cambric,  or,  when  economy  is  no 
object,  with  silk.  ^ 

As  a  successful  warrior  looks  well  after  his  arms,  so  should 
the  tail  of  a  war  kite  receive  the  most  careful  attention 

One  very  popular  style  of  tail  is  made  of  strips  of  bright- 
colored  cloth  about  one  inch  wide  tied  securely  in  the  middle 
to  a  strong  twine,  the  tail  ending  in  a  fancy  tassel. 

Another  style  is  made  of  long  narrow  strips  of  white  cloth 
securely  sewed  together.  This  tail  is  not  so  apt  to  become 
knotted  or  tangled  as  the  first. 


How  to  Make  the  Knives. 

^  The  -  cutters  "  to  be  attached  to  the  tail  are  made  of  sharp 
pieces  of  broken  glass  called  knives. 

From  a  thick  glass  bottle,  broken  ofif  below  the  neck,  chip 
off  pieces.  This  can  be  done  with  the  back  of  a  heavy  knife 
blade  or  a  Hght  hammer.  The  workman  cannot  be  too  careful 
or  cautious  in  breaking  or  handling  the  glass,  as  the  least  care- 
lessness IS  sure  to  result  in  bad  cuts  and  bloody  fingers 

From  the  slivers  or  chips  of  glass  select  pieces  thick  on  the 
outside  curve,  but  with  a  keen  sharp  inside  edge.    It  may  take 


spring. 


time,  experience,  and  several  bottles 
to  get  knives  to  exactly  suit  you. 

How  to  Make  Cutters. 

Fasten  three  knives  together  with 
wax  (Fig.  30)  so  that  each  shall  point , 
in  a  different  direction,  bind  on  this 
three  slips  of  thin  wood  lengthwise  to 
hold  the  wax  and  glass  firmly,  and  cov- 
er it  neatly  with  cloth  or  kid. 

A  piece  of  twine  looped  at  each 
end  should  pass  through  the  apparatus 
lengthwise.  This,  of  course,  to  be  put 
in  before  the  slips  are  bound  together. 
Excellent  cutters  can  be  made  of  blades 
from  an  old  penknife. 

A  much  simpler  weapon  is  made 
with  a  piece  of  stout  twine  one  foot 
long,  dipped  in  glue  and  rolled  in 
pounded  glass  until  thickly  coated  with 
a  glistening  armor  of  sharp  points. 
Two  of  these  incorporated  in  the  lower 
half  of  the  kite's  tail  will  be  found  to 
be  effective  cutters. 

Boys  participating  in  this  war  of 
kites  should  always  bear  in  mind  the  fact 
that  it  requires  but  little  skill  to  cut  an  ^ 
unarmed  kite,  and  that  there  is  no  honor  ' 
or  glory  to  be  gained  in  vanquishing  a 
'  foe  who  is  unable  to  defend  himself. 

There  are  many  other  attachments, 
improvements,  and  amusing  appliances 
that  suggest  themselves  to  an  enthusi- 
astic kite-flyer. 


JVar  Kites. 


27 


Kite  Clubs. 

The  field  is  a  large  one,  and  the  opportunities  for  originality 
and  ingenuity  almost  unbounded.  If  some  enthusiastic,  ener- 
getic boy  will  take  the  initiatory  steps,  kite  clubs  might  be 
formed  throughout  the  country  with  appropriate  names,  rules, 
and  regulations,  which,  during  the  kite  season,  would  have  their 
meets  and  tournaments,  and  award  prizes  to  the  steadiest 
stander,  the  highest  flyer,  and  the  most  original  and  unique 
design  besides  the  prizes  awarded  at  the  jousts  of  the  war 
kites. 

The  organization  of  such  clubs  would  give  a  new  impetus  to 
an  amusement  deserving  of  greater  popularity  than  it  has  ever 
attained  in  this  country. 


Kite  Time. 


CHAPTER  III. 
l^OVEL  MODES  OF  FISHING. 

The  Bell  Pole. 

In  the  Gulf  States,  upon  some  of  the  plantations  that  border 
the  sluggish  streams  or  bayous  peculiar  to  that  part  of  the 
country,  the  field  hands  have  a  simple  and  ingenious  contriv- 
ance by  which  they  are  enabled  to  fish  without  interfering  with 
the  discharge  of  their  duties. 

The  apparatus  used  consists  of  an  ordinary  cane-pole  to 
which  a  long  line  with  any  number  of  hooks  is  attached ;  an 
old  bell  is  hung  at  the  end  of  the  cane  where  the  line  is  fas- 
tened. 

The  sable  sportsmen  set  a  number  of  poles,  rigged  in  this 
manner,  thrusting  the  butt  ends  of  the  rods  into  the  soft  bank 
so  that  they  stand  almost  upright  along  the  edge  of  the  water 
upon  which  the  plantation  borders. 

After  the  hooks  are  baited  the  lines  are  cast  out  as  far  as 
they  will  reach  into  the  stream  and  left  to  take  care  of  them- 
selves. As  soon  as  a  fish  is  hooked  it  struggles  to  free  itself, 
but  the  first  plunge  the  unwary  creature  makes  rings  the  bell 
at  the  end  of  the  rod  and  summons  the  laborer  from  the  field, 
who  leaves  his  ploughing  or  planting  just  long  enough  to  land 
the  fish  and  re-bait  the  hook.  It  is  seldom  that  the  setting  sun 
sees  the  dusky  workmen  return  to  their  cabins  empty-handed. 

By  far  the  oddest  and  most  original  mode  of  fishing  prac- 
tised by  the  colored  people  of  the  Southern  States  is  called  by 
them 


Novel  Modes  of  Fishing. 


29 


%  -lv\^_  ^lUlll'  /////^^ 


"Jugging  for  Cats." 

Early  one  morning,  while  sauntering  along  the  levee  of  a 
small  town  upon  the  Mississippi,  the  author  met  an  old  colored 

friend,  Uncle  Eanes. 

*'Whars  I  gwine?"  queried  the  old  man.    -I  was  jus 

gwine  to  git  de  traps  together  to  jug  for  cats,— Hi,  Hi,  neber 

hea  tell  of  dat  ?    De  Lor  ! 

no  sah,  not  presactly  pussy 

cats  —  cullored  folks  eats 

'bout  de  same   as  white 

folks  (when  dey  can  git  it). 

Yes,  sah  !  we's  seed  purty 

tight  times  since  de  war, 

Suah  !  but  we  hasent  come 

to  eating  pussy  cats  just 

yet,  Boss  !   Hi,  Hi  !  Take 

^  big  jug  suah  enough  to 

hold  a  tolerable  sized  mud 

cat !  but  we  don't  cotch 

dem  in  de  jugs.    You  jest 
come  along  and  I'll  show 
you  how  'tis. "   Uncle  Ean- 
es's  invitation  was  accept- 
ed, and  the  author  was  in- 
itiated into  the  mysteries  of  Jug  Rigged. 
"  jugging  for  cats,"  which  he  found  to  combine  exercise,  ex- 
citement and  fun  in  a  much  greater  degree  than  the  usual 
method  of  angling  with  rod  and  reel. 

The  tackle  necessary  in  this  sport  is  very  simple  ;  it  consists 
of  five  or  six  empty  jugs  tightly  corked  with  corn  cobs,  as  many 
stout  Imes,  each  about  five  feet  long  with  a  sinker  and  large 
hook  at  the  end.    One  of  these  lines  is  tied  to  the  handle  of 


30 


Spring, 


each  jug.  Fresh  Hver,  angle  worms,  and  balls  made  of  corn 
meal  and  cotton,  are  used  for  bait ;  but  a  bit  of  cheese,  tied  up 
in  a  piece  of  mosquito  netting  to  prevent  its  washing  away, 
appears  to  be  considered  the  most  tempting  morsel. 

When  all  the  hooks  are  baited,  and  the  fisherman  has  in- 
spected his  lines  and  found  everything  ready,  he  puts  the  jugs 
into  a  boat, and  rows  out  upon  the  river,  dropping  the  earthen- 
ware floats  about  ten  fdet  apart  in  a  line  across  the  middle  of 
the  stream.  The  jugs  will,  of  course,  be  carried  down  with  the 
current,  and  will  have  to  be  followed  and  watched.  When  one 
of  them  begins  to  behave  in  a  strange  manner,  turning  upside 
down,  bobbing  about,  darting  up  stream  and  down,  the  fisher- 
man knows  that  a  large  fish  is  hooked,  and  an  exciting  chase 
ensues.  It  sometimes  requires  hard  rowing  to  catch  the  jug, 
for  often  when  the  fisherman  feels  sure  of  his  prize  and  stretches 
forth  his  hand  to  grasp  the  runaway,  it  darts  off  anew,  fre- 
quently disappearing  from  view  beneath  the  water,  and  coming 
to  the  surface  again,  yards  and  yards  'away  from  where  it  had 
left  the  disappointed  sportsman. 

One  would  think  that  the  pursuit  of  just  one  jug,  which  a 
fish  is  piloting  around,  might  prove  exciting  enough.  But 
imagine  the  sport  of  seeing  four  or  five  of  them  start  off  on  their 
antics  at  about  the  same  moment.  It  is  at  such  a  time  that 
the  skill  of  a  fisherman  is  tested,  for  a  novice,  in  his  hurry, 
is  apt  to  lose  his  head,  thereby  losing  his  fish  also.  Instead 
of  hauling  in  his  line  carefully  and  steadily,  he  generally  pulls 
it  up  in  such  a  hasty  manner  that  the  fish  is  able,  by  a  vigor- 
ous flop,  to  tear  himself  away  from  the  hook.  To  be  a  success- 
ful "  jugger,"one  must  be  as  careful  and  deliberate  in  taking 
out  his  fish  as  though  he  had  only  that  one  jug  to  attend  to, 
no  matter  how  many  others  may  be  claiming  his  attention  by 
their  frantic  signals.  The  illustration  shows  how  the  line  is 
rigged. 


Novel  Modes  of  Fishing. 


31 


The  Dancing  Fisherman 

is  another  method  of  catching  fish,  in  principle  similar  to  jug- 
ging, by  means  of  a  jumping-jack,  or  small,  jointed  man, 
whose  limbs  are 
moved  by  jerking 
a  string  attached  to 
them.  This  little 
figure  is  fastened 
to  a  stick,  which  is 
secured  in  an  up- 
right position  on  a 
float  made  of  a 
piece  of  board. 
Through  a  hole  in 
the  float  is  passed 
the  string  attached 
to  the  figure,  and 
tied  securely  to 
this  are  the  hook 
and  line.  After 
the  hook  is  baited, 
the  float  is  placed 
on  the  surface  of 
the  water,  and  the 
little  man,  standing 
upright,  is  left  to 
wait  in  patience. 

Presently  a  fish,  ^'^-S^- 
attracted  by  the  bait,  comes  nearer  the  surface,  seizes  the  hook 
quickly,  and  darts  downward,  pulling  the  string,  and  inaking 
the  little  figure  throw  up  its  arms  and  legs  as  though  dancing 
for  joy  at  having  performed  its  task  so  well.    The  capering  of 


spring. 


Jack  is  the  signal  to  his  master  that  a  fish  has  been  caught  and 
is  struggHng  to  free  itself  from  the  hook.  This  manner  of  fish- 
ing is  necessarily  confined  to  quiet  bodies  of  water,  such  as 
small  lakes  or  ponds  ;  for  in  rough  water  poor  little  Jack  would 
be  upset.    Fig.  31  shows  how  to  rig  the  "  dancing  fisherman." 

Toy  Boats  for  Fishing. 

Trolling,  by  means  of  rudely  made  toy  boats,  is  a  sport  the 
novelty  of  which  will  certainly  recommend  itself. 

The  boat  can  be  made  out  of  a  piece  of  plank  any  where  from 
a  foot  to  two  and  one-half  feet  long,  according  to  the  size 


Fig.  32. 


of  the  fish  to  be  caught.  Sharpen  the  plank  at  one  end  and 
rig  it  with  one  or  two  masts  and  sails  of  paper  or  cloth.  The 
rudder  must  be  very  long  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  boat, 
to  prevent  its  making  lee  way  and  to  keep  it  on  a  straight 
course.  To  nails  in  the  stern  of  the  boat  tie  fish  lines  rigged 
with  spoon  or  live  bait  (Fig.  32).  This  diminutive  fishing- 
smack  will  not  alarm  the  finny  inhabitants  of  the  water  as  a 
larger  boat  might,  but  when  sailing  before  the  wind  will  troll 


Novel  Modes  of  Fishing.  33 


the  bait  m  a  manner  that  appears  to  be  irresistible  to  bass  or 
pickerel  and  sometimes  even  the  mud-loving  cat-fish  will  rise 
and  sjyallow  the  hook.  A  whole  fleet  of  these  little  vessels 
may  be  attended  by  one  boy  if  he  has  a  boat  in  which  to  row 
.mmediately  to  the  assistance  of  any  of  his  toy  boats,  whose 
suspicious  movements  betray  the  presence  of  a  fish  in  tow. 

The  Wooden  Otter 

consists  of  a  board  two  feet  long,  three  inches  wide,  and  one- 
half-inch  thick,  made  to  float  on  edge  in  the  water  by  weight- 
ing the  lower  part  of  the  plank  with  lead,  iron,  or  even  stones 
tied  on  with  strings.     By  means  of  a  breast-band  rigged  like 
that  on  a  kite,  a  strong  tow-line  is  fastened  to  the  "  otter  "  At 
intervals  along  the  tow-line,  shorter  lines  are  attached  baited 
with  artificial  flies,  spoon  hooks,  dead  or  live  bait,  as  the  case 
may  be,  the  bait  of  course  depending  altogether  upon  the  fish 
you  are  after.     As  you  walk  or  row,  the  "  otter  "  sheers  off 
and  the  baits  comb  the  water  in  a  tantalizing  way  that  is  fatal 
to  trout  bass,  or  pickerel.   So  "  killing  "  is  this  instrument  that 
It  should  only  be  used  to  replenish  the  larder  when  provisions 
are  running  short  in  camp. 

Fishing  for  Fresh- Water  Clams. 

Mussels  or  fresh-water  clams,  are  prized  by  many  boys  on 
account  of  the  pearly  opalescent  substance  of  which  the  shell  is 
composed,  it  being  an  excellent  material  of  which  to  make  fin- 
ger-rings and  charms.  Not  unfrequently  pearls  of  great  beauty 
are  found  concealed  within  the  shells  of  these  bivalves. 

The  empty  shells  found  upon  the  beach  are  never  very 
highly  prized,  and  are  called  by  collectors  dead  shells.  Shells 
of  any  kind  which  contain  the  living  animal  when  collected 
are  ever  after  called  live  shells,  for  they  still  retain  all  their 
freshness  and  lustre  after  the  inmate  has  been  removed  To 


34  Spring.  

collect  live  mussel  shells,  you  must  wade,  dive,  or,  if  the  water 
is  clear  enough  for  you  to  distinguish  objects  upon  the  bottom, 
fish  for  them,  not  with  a  hook  and  line,  but  with  a  long  twig, 
from  which  all  branches  and  leaves  have  been  removed  except- 
ing a  single  bud  on  the  end  (Fig.  33).  As  soon  as  you  detect 
a  bivalve,  you  will  discover  its  shells  to  be  partially  open. 

Carefully  insert  the  bud,  that  you  have  left  upon  the  end 
of  your  stick,  between  the  gaping  lips  of  the  shell,  the  instant 


Fig.  33. 


Fig.  34. 

that  the  animal  within  feels  the  touch  it  will  close  its  doors 
firmly,  of  course  holding  the  switch  between  the  shells.  The 
bud  at  the  end  prevents  the  stick  from  slipping  out,  and  the 
animal  is  caught  by  taking  advantage  of  the  very  means  it  uses 
for  protection. 

A  simple  contrivance  for  catching  small  frogs,  eels,  and  liz- 
ards, for  the  aquarium  consists  of  an  elder  stick,  with  one  end, 
cut  like  a  quill  pen  with  the  points  spread  apart,  as  shown  m 

sketch  (Fig.  34). 

To  use  this  you  must  approach  a  pond  or  brook  very  cau- 
tiously so  as  not  to  frighten  your  game.  Through  the  clear 
water  the  little  creatures  can  be  seen  resting  quietly  on  the 
bottom.  If  you  are  careful  not  to  make  any  disturbance  or 
sudden  movement  you  may  get  your  elder  lance  poised  over 
your  lizard,  newt,  or  frog,  within  an  inch  or  so  of  its  body,  with- 
out disturbing  him  ;  then  with  a  quick  movement  push  the  stick 
and  animal  both  into  the  mud.  On  drawing  out  the  stick  you 
will  find  your  captive  squirming  between  the  split  ends  of  the 


Novel  Modes  of  Fishing.  ■  35 


elder-from  wh.ch  he  can  be  removed  without  serious  injury 
With  practice  you  can  perfect  yourself  in  this  aquarian  sport  so 
as  seldom  to  lose  or  injure  your  specimens.  ^ 

The  snare  made  of  fine  wire  in  the  form  of  a  slip  noose  is  so 
well  known  to  the  boys  in  general,  that  it  is  no  novelty  and 
unnecessary  to  describe.  ""veuy  and 


I  i 

i 

CHAPTER  IV. 

HOME-MADE  FISHING  TACKLE.  I 

The  Rod.  I 

It  not  unfrequently  happens  that  an  amateur  is  unable  to  i 

take  advantage  of  most  excellent  fishing,  for  the  want  of  ' 

proper  or  necessary  tackle.  -i 

It  may  be  that  he  is  accidentally  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  I 
pickerel  pond  or  trout  stream,  or  that  his  fishing  tackle  is  lost  j 
or  delayed  in  transit.    Under  such  circumstances  a  little  prac-  ; 
tical  ingenuity  is  invaluable.    If  within  reach  of  any  human 
habitation  you  can,  in  all  probability,  succeed  in  finding  suffi- 
cient material  with  which  to  manufacture  not  only  a  rod  which 
will  answer  your  purpose,  but  a  very  serviceable  reel.    To  rig  J 
up  a  home-made  trout  rod,  you  need  a  straight,  slender,  elastic  j 
pole,  such  as  can  be  found  in  any  wood  or  thicket,  some  pins, 
and  a  small  piece  of  wire.    File  off  the  head  of  several  pins,  i 
sharpen  the  blunt  ends,  and  bend  them  into  the  form  of  the  i 
letter  U.    At  a  point  about  two  feet  from  the  butt  end  of  the  .: 
rod  drive  the  first  pin,  leaving  enough  of  the  loop  above  the  ; 
wood  to  allow  the  fish  line  to  pass  freely  through ;  drive  the  j 
other  pins  upon  the  same  side  of  the  rod  and  at  regular  inter- 
vals.   Make  the  tip  of  a  piece  of  wire  by  bending  a  neat  cir- 
cular loop  in  the  centre,  and  then  knitting  or  binding  the  wire  , 
on  the  end  of  the  pole  (Fig.  35).   Should  you  have  enough  wire,  i 
it  will  answer  much  better  for  the  other  loops  than  the  pins.  | 
If  at  a  farm-house  look  in  the  attic  for  an  old  bonnet  frame,  or  j 
some  similar  object  likdy  to  be  at  hand,  and  it  will  furnish  you  | 
with  plenty  of  material.    Cut  the  wire  in  pieces  about  two  and 


Home-Made  Fishing  Tackle. 


a  half  inches  long,  make  a  simple  loop  in  the  centre  of  v. 
piece,  and  with  a  -  waxed  ^nH  -        .     ^ne  centre  of  each 


Fig.  35. 


Fig.  36, 


turn  twisting  it  in  proper  position  (Fig.  36).     With  a  lar 
wooden  spool  an  old  tin  can,  and  a  piec!  of  thick  wt  a  first 
rate  reel  may  be  manufactured.  ' 


Tin  and  Spool  Reel 


Fig.  37— Construction  of  the  Tin  and  Spool  Reel. 


38 


Spring, 


Put  the  wire  through  the  spool,  allowing  about  one  inch  to 
protrude  at  one  end  and  about  three  inches  at  the  opposite  end. 
Wedge  the  wire  in  firmly  by  driving  soft  pine  sticks  around  it, 
and  tdm  off  the  protruding  ends  of  the  sticks.  Cut  a  piece  of 
tin  in  the  shape  shown  by  the  diagram  (Fig.  37),  punch  a  hole 
in  each  side  piece  for  the  wire  to  pass  through,  leaving  plenty 
of  room  for  the  spool  to  revolve  freely.  Turn  the  side-pieces 
up  upon  each  side  of  the  spool,  and  bend  the  long  end  of  the 
wire  in  the  form  of  a  crank.  Hammer  the  bottom  piece  of  tin 
over  the  rod  until  it  takes  the  curved  form,  and  fits  tightly,  then 
with  strong  wax  string  bind  it  firmly  to  the  rod.  If  it  should 
happen  that  a  piece  of  tin  could  not  be  procured,  a  reel  can  be 
made  of  a  forked  stick  and  a  spool. 

The  Forked-Stick  Reel. 

Cut  a  forked  stick  and  shave  off  the  inside  flat,  as  in  Fig. 
38,  cut  two  notches  near  the  bottom,  one  upon  each  side  ;  this 


Fig.  38.  Fig.  39. 

will  allow  the  fork  to  bend  readily  at  these  points.  Make  a 
small  groove  for  a  string  at  the  top  of  each  prong.   Put  the  spool 


Home-Made  Fishing  Tackle.  39 


between  the  prongs,  allowing  the  wire  to  protrude  through  holes 
bored  for  that  purpose.  Bend  the  long  end  of  the  wire  in  the 
form  of  a  crank.  Tie  a  string  across  from  end  to  end  of  the 
prongs  to  hold  them  in  proper  position,  and  you  have  a  rustic 
but  serviceable  reel  (Fig.  39).  It  may  be  attached  to  the  pole 
m  either  manner  shown  by  Figs.  40  and  41.    Boys  who  find 


Fig.  41. 

pleasure  in  outdoor  sports  should  always  be  ready  with  expedi 
ents  for  any  emergency.  A  fish  hook  is  rather  a  difficult 
thing  to  manufacture,  though  I  have  seen  them  made  of  a  bird's 
claw  bound  to  a  piece  of  shell  by  vegetable  fibre.  I  would 
not  advise  my  readers  to  attempt  to  make  one.  A  better  plan 
IS  to  always  carry  a  supply  about  your  person,  inside  the  lining 
of  your  hat  being  a  good  place  to  deposit  small  hooks.  For 
black  bass,  pickerel,  and  many  other  fish,  live  minnows  are  the 
best  bait.    To  catch  them  you  need  a  net. 

Home-Made  Nets. 
A  simple  way  to  make  a  minnow  net  is  to  stretch  a  piece  of 
mosquito  netting  between  two  stout  sticks.    If  deemed  neces- 
sary, floats  may  be  fastened  at  the  top  and  sinkers  at  the  bot- 
tom edge  of  the  net  (Fig.  42).    Coarse  bagging  may  be  used  if 
mosquito  netting  is  not  obtainable.  But  with  a  forked  stick  and 
a  ball  of  string  for  material,  a  jack-knife,  and  your  fingers  for 
tools,  a  splendid  scoop-net  can  be  made  that  will  not  only  last 
but  be  as  good,  if  not  better,  than  any  you  could  purchase' 
Cut  a  good  stout  sapHng  that  has  two  branches  (Fig.  43).  Trim 


40 


Spring. 


off  all  other  appendages,  and  bend  the  two  branches  until  the 
ends  over-lap  each  other  for  some  distance,  bind  the  ends  firmly 
and  neatly  together  with  waxed  twine,  if  it  can  be  had — if  not, 
with  what  string  you  have  (Fig,  44). 

Fasten  the  pole  in  a  convenient  position  so  that  the  hoop 


Fig.  42. 


is  about  level  with  your  face.  If  you  want  the  net  two  feet 
deep,  cut  a  number  of  pieces  of  twine  seven  or  eight  feet  long, 
double  them,  and  slip  them  on  the  hoop  in  the  manner  shown 
by  the  first  string  (Fig.  45). 


Home-Made  Fishing  Tackle. 


41 


Beginning  at  the  most  convenient  point,  take  a  string  from 
each  adjoining  pair  and  make  a  simple  knot  of  them,  as  shown 


by  the  diagram.    Continue  all  the  way  around  the  hoop  knot- 
ting  the  stnngs  together  in  this  manner.    Then,  commence  on 
the  next  lower  row  and  so  on  until  you  reach  a  point  where  in 
your  judgment  the  net  ought  to  commence  to  narrow  or  taper 
down.    This  can  ;  ^ 
be  accomplished 
by  knotting  the  strings  a 
closer  together,  and  cutting  off 
one  string  of  a  pair  at  four  equi- 
distant points  in  the  same  row. 
Knot  as  before  until  you  come  to 
a  clipped  line ;   here  you  must 
take  a  string  from  each  side  of  the 
single  one  and  knot  them,  being 
careful  to  make  it  come  even  with 
others  in  the  same  row.  Before 
tightening  the  double  knot  pass 
the  single  string  through,  and 

c£/s  Ki^-;'  t:;  *°  ''^""^  '^"^  ^'-^ 

Continue  as  before  until  the  row  is  finished,  only  deviating 


Fig.  45. 


42 


spring. 


from  the  original  plan  when  a  single  string  is  reached.  Proceed 
in  a  like  manner  with  the  next  and  the  next  rows,  increasing 
the  number  of  strings  eliminated  until  the  remaining  ones  meet 
at  the  bottom,  being  careful  not  to  let  one  drop  mesh  come  di- 
rectly under  another  of  the  same  kind. 

A  scoop-net  can  be  made  of  a  piece  of  mosquito  netting  by 
sewing  it  in  thfe  form  of  a  bag,  and  fastening  it  to  a  pole  and 
hoop  made  of  a  forked  stick  like  the  one  just  described. 

Minnows  must  be  kept  alive,  and  tin  buckets,  with  the  top 
half  perforated  with  holes,  are  made  for  that  purpose.  These 
buckets,  when  in  use,  are  secured  by  a  string  and  hung  in  the 
water,  the  holes  in  the  sides  allowing  a  constant  supply  of  fresh 
breathing  material  to  the  little  fish  within. 


A  Home-Made  Minnow  Bucket. 


Take  any  tin  bucket  that  has  a  lid  to  it  and  punch  holes  in 
the  top  and  upper  part  with  a  nail  and  hammer, 
or  some  similar  instruments.    If  a  tin  bucket 
cannot  be  had,  a  large-sized  tin  can  will  an- 
swer the  purpose.    The  illustration  (Fig.  46) 
shows  a  minnow  bucket  made  in  this  manner. 
Fig.  47  shows  the  proper  manner  of  baiting 
with  a  live  minnow.    The  cartilaginous  mouth 
of  a  fish  has  little  or  no  feeling  in  it.    A  hook 
passed  from  beneath  the  under  jaw  through  it 
and  the  upper  lip  will  neither  kill  nor 
injure  the  minnow.    As  it  allows  the 
little  creature  to  swim  freely,  there  is 
a  much  greater  chance  of  getting  a 
bite  than  with  a  dead  or  mangled  bait.    The  latter  is  a  sign  of 
either  cruelty  or  ignorance  on  the  part  of  the  fisherman. 


Home-Made  Fishing  Tackle. 


Inhabitants  of  the  Water. 

_  How  natural  it  is  to  speak  of  a  love  for  the  sea,  or  an 
intimate  acquaintance  and  knowledge  of  the  ocean  when  in 
reality  It  is  only  the  top  or  surface  of  the  water  that  is  meant, 
while  the  hidden  mysteries  that  underlie  the  billows  the  sea- 
world  proper-its  scenery,  inhabitants,  and  history-are  but 


^fc^i  

Fig.  47. 

partially  known,  except  to  our  most  learned  naturalists  The 
occasional  glimpses  we  have  of  queer  and  odd  specimens  kid- 
napped from  this  unknown  realm  make  it  natural  for  us  to  feel 
a  curiosity  to  know  and  a  desire  to  see  the  life  and  forms  that 
are  concealed  beneath  the  waves. 

What  boy  can  sit  all  day  in  a  boat,  or  upon  the  green  shady 
bank  of  an  inland  stream,  watching  the  floating  cork  of  his  fish 
line  without  experiencing  a  longing  for  some  new  patent  trans- 
parent divmg  bell,  in  which,  comfortably  ensconced  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  water,  he  might  see  all  that  goes  on  in  that  unfamiliar 
country. 

In  the  next  chapter  I  propose  to  show  how  this  natural 
curiosity  or  desire  for  knowledge  may  be  gratified,  not  exactly 
by  placing  you  at  the  bottom  of  the  water,  but  by  transporting 
a  portion  of  this  curious  world,  with  its  liquid  atmosphere  and 
living  inhabitants  into  your  own  house,  where  you  may  inspect 
and  study  it  at  your  leisure. 


CHAPTER  V. 


HOW  TO  STOCK,   MAKE,  AND  KEEP  A  FRESH- 
WATER AQUARIUM. 

Although  marine  animals  may  surpass  the  inhabitants  of 
fresh  water  in  strangeness  of  form  and  tint,  there  are  some 
fresh -water  fish  upon  whom  Mother  Nature  appears  to  have 
lavished  her  colors  ;  and  there  are  enough  aquatic  objects  to  be 
found,  in  any  stream  or  pond,  to  keep  all  my  readers  busy 
and  happy  for  years  in  studying  their  habits  and  natural  his- 
tory. One  must  have  a  certain  amount  of  knowledge  of  the 
habits  of  an  animal  before  he  can  expect  to  keep  it  in  a  thriving 
condition  in  captivity.  This  knowledge  is  gained  by  observa- 
tion, and  success  depends  upon  the  common  sense  displayed  in 
discreetly  using  the  information  thus  obtained. 

Do  not  make  the  common  mistake  of  supposing  that  an 
aquarium  is  only  a  globe  or  ornamental  tank,  made  to  hold  a 
few  lazy  gold-fish.  Do  not  have  china  swans  floating  about 
upon  the  top  of  the  water,  nor  ruined  castles  submerged  beneath 
the  surface.  Such  things  are  in  bad  taste.  Generally  speak- 
ing, ruined  castles  are  not  found  at  the  bottoms  of  lakes  and 
rivers,  and  china  swans  do  not  swim  on  streams  and  ponds. 
If  you  determine  to  have  an  aquarium,  have  one  whose  con- . 
tents  will  afford  a  constant  source  of  amusement  and  instruc- 
tion— one  that  will  attract  the  attention  and  interest  of  visit- 
ors as  soon  as  they  enter  the  room  where  it  is.  Sea-shells, 
corals,  etc.,  should  not  be  used  in  a  fresh-water  aquarium; 
they  not  only  look  out  of  place,  but  the  lime  and  salts  they 


How  to  Stock  a  Fresh- JVater  Aquarium.  45 


contain  will  injure  both  fish  and  plant.  Try  to  make  your 
aquarium  a  miniature  lake  in  all  its  details,  and  you  will  find 
the  effect  more  pleasing  to  the  eye.  By  making  the  artificial 
home  of  the  aquatic  creatures  conform  as  nearly  as  possible  to 
their  natural  ones  you  can  keep  them  all  in  a  healthy  and 
lively  condition. 

At  the  bird-stores  and  other  places  where  objects  in  natural 
history  are  sold,  you  may  buy  an  aquarium  of  almost  any  size 
you  wish,  from  the  square  tank  with  heavy  iron  castings  to  the 
small  glass  globe  ;  the  globes  come  in  ten  sizes. 

Some  time  ago,  when  the  author,  then  quite  a  small  boy, 
was  spending  the  summer  upon  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie,  the 
older  members  of  the  household  frequently  went  out  on  the  lake 
after  black  bass,  taking  with  them  for  bait  a  pail  of  the  beautiful 
painted  minnows  "  found  in  the  little  brooks  of  Northern  Ohio. 
Upon  the  return  of  a  fishing  party  the  minnows  left  in  the  pail 
were  claimed  by  the  children  as  their  share  of  the  spoils,  but 
the  little  fish  would  scarcely  live  a  day  ;  in  spite  of  all  that  could 
be  done  they  would,  one  by  one,  turn  upon  their  backs  and  ex- 
pire.   This  was  the  source  of  much  disappointment  and  re- 
morseful feelings  on  the  part  of  the  children.     One  day  half 
the  minnows  from  ^the  pail  were  poured  into  a  large  flat  dish, 
that  they  might  be  better  seen  as  they  swam  about ;  here  they 
were  forgotten  for  the  time  ;  on  the  morrow  all  the  fish  in  the 
pail  were  found  to  be  dead,  but  those  in  the  flat  dish  were  per- 
fectly lively  and  well.    This  discovery  led  to  a  series  of  ex- 
periments which  the  author  has  continued  at  times  up  to  the 
present  date,  and  he  feels  no  hesitancy  in  saying  that,  if  the 
manufacturers  of  aquariums  in  this  country  had  made  it  their 
object  to  build  vessels  in  which  no  respectable  fish  could  live, 
they  could  hardly  have  succeeded  better,  for  they  all  violate 
this  first  rule  :    the  greater  the  surface  of  water  exposed  to 
the  air,  the  greater  the  quantity  of  oxygen  absorbed  from  the 


46 


Spring. 


.atmosphere.  Amateurs  must  bear  in  mind  that  "  the  value  of 
water  depends  not  so  much  on  its  bulk  as  on  the  advantageous 
distribution  of  its  bulk  over  large  spaces."  In  other  words,  flat, 
shallow  vessels  are  the  best. 

In  the  light  of  this  fact  the  author  set  to  work  to  build  his 
first  aquarium.  The  materials  for  its  construction  were  bought 
of  the  town  glazier's  son.  The  amount  paid  was  several  mar- 
bles, a  broken-bladed  Barlow  knife,  and  a  picture  of  the  school 
teacher  sketched  in  lead  pencil  upon  the  fly-leaf  of  a  spelling- 
book.  In  exchange  for  these  treasures,  several  fragments  of 
window-glass,  some  paint,  an  old  brush,  and  a  lump  of  putty, 
was  received.  Two  or  three  days'  work  resulted  in  the  produc- 
tion of  an  aquarium.  It  was  only  twelve  inches  long,  eight 
inches  wide,  and  four  inches  high  ;  but,  although  this  tank  was 
small,  it  was  a  real  aquarium,  and  would  hold  water  and  living 
pets.  A  piece  of  glass  12x8  inches  formed  the  bottom.  The 
sides  were  fastened  on  by  simply  pasting  paper  along  the  out- 
side edges  ;  if  left  in  this  condition  of  course  the  water  would 
leak  through  the  cracks,  soften  the  paper,  and  produce  disas- 
trous results. 

To  prevent  this  the  cracks  upon  the  inside  were  carefully 
puttied  up  and  the  putty  covered  with  thin  strips  of  glass, - 
which  the  glazier  good-naturedly  cut  for  the  purpose  ;  this  not 
only  prevented  the  tank  from  leaking,  but  added  greatly  to  its 
strength.  The  paper  corners  and  all  the  outside,  excepting 
the  front  was  then  covered  with  two  or  three  coats  of  paint. 
The  front  glass  was  left  clean  for  observation.  A  piece  of  pine 
board  formed  the  base  of  the  little  aquarium.  After  it  was 
carefully  puttied  around  the  bottom,  where  the  glass  set  in  the 
board,  the  latter  was  nicely  painted  to  correspond  with  the  rest 
of  the  structure,  the  whole  was  left  to  dry.  Crude  as  this  tank 
may  appear  from  the  description,  it  did  not  look  so,  and  best 
of  all  it  never  leaked. 


How  to  Stock  a  Fresh-JVater  AqMcirmm.  47 


With  a  dip-net,  made  of  an  old  piece  of  mosquito-netting, 
what  fun  it  was  to  explore  the  spaces  between  the  logs  of  the 
rafts  in  front  of  the  old  saw- mill !  and  what  curious  creatures 
were  found  lurking  there  !  Little  gars,  whose  tiny  forms  looked 
like  bits  of  sticks  ;  young  spoon-bill  fish  (paddle-fish),  with  ex- 
aggerated upper  lips  one-third  the  length  of  their  scaleless 
bodies  ;  funny  little  black  cat-fish,  that  looked  for  all  the  world 
like  tadpoles,  and  scores  of  other  creatures.  Under  the  green 
vegetation  in  those  spaces  they  found  a  safe  retreat  from  the 
attacks  of  larger  fish. 

If  a  constant  supply  of  fresh  water  can  be  kept  flowing  in 
an  aquarium,  or  the  water  constantly  aerified  by  agitation,  the 
ordinary  misshapen  tank  may 
be  run  successfully.   The  glass 
globe,  the  most  unnatural  of 
all  forms  for  aquariums,  can  be 
utilized  in  this  way.  There 
used  to  be  in  the  window  of 
a  jewelry  store,  in  an  Ohio 
town,  an  ordinary  glass  fish- 
globe,   in   which   lived  and 
thrived  a  saucy  little  brook 
trout.    Brook-trout,  as  most 
of  my  readers  know,  are  found 
only  in  cool  running  water, 
and  will  not  live  for  any  great 
length  of  time  in  an  ordinary 
aquarium.     In  this  case,  an 
artificial  circulation  of  water 
was  produced  by  means  of  a 
little  pump  run  by  clock-work.    Every  morning  the  jeweller 
wound  up  the  machine,  and  all  day  long  the  little  pump  worked, 
pumping  up  the  water  from  the  globe,  only  to  send  it  back 


Fig.  48.— Globe  and  Pump. 


48 


Spring. 


again  in  a  small  but  constant  stream  which  poured  from  the 
little  spout,  each  drop  carrying  with  it  into  the  water  of  the 
globe  a  small  quantity  of  fresh  air,  including,  of  course,  oxygen 
gas.  (See  Fig.  48.)  And  the  little  speckled  trout  lived  and 
thrived,  and,  for  aught  I  knov/  to  the  contrary,  is  still  swim- 
ming around  in  his  crystal  prison,  waiting,  with  ever-ready 
mouth,  to  swallow  up  the  blue-bottle  flies  thrown  to  him  by  his 
friend  the  jev/eller.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  it  is 
necessary  to  change  the  water  in  an  aquarium  every  few  days. 
The  tank  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  seldom  if  ever  require  a 
change  of  water.    This  is  not  difficult  to  accomplish. 

If  possible,  have  your  aquarium  made  under  your  own  eyes. 
Suppose  you  wish  one,  two  feet  long  ;  then  it  should  be  sixteen 
inches  wide  and  seven  inches  high  ;  or  2^'  x  ^"  x  16".  Figure 
49  shows  an  aquarium  of  the  proper  form  and  proportions. 


Fig.  49. 


Figure  50  shows  the  popular,  but  unnatural  and  improper  form. 
With  a  properly  made  aquarium,  after  it  is  once  stocked  with 
the  right  proportion  of  plant  and  animal  life,  there  is  no  neces- 
sity of  ever  changing  the  water. 

Both  animals  and  plants  breathe,  and  what  is  life  to  the 
plant  is  poison  to  the  animal.  Animals  absorb  oxygen  and 
throw  off  carbonic  acid  gas  ;  this  gas  the  plants  inhale,  separat- 
ing it  into  carbon  and  oxygen,  absorbing  the  carbon,  which  is 


How  to  Stock  a  Fresh-lVater  Aquarium,  49 

converted  into  their  vegetable  tissue,  and  throwing  off  the  free 
oxygen  for  the  animals  to  breathe.  By  having  plants  as  well 
as  animals  m  your  tank,  both  classes  are  supplied  with  breathing 
material.  When  you  start  your  aquarium,  first  cover  the  bot- 
tom with  sand  and  gravel.  Then  build  your  rockery  it  is 
better  to  cement  it  together  and  into  place. 

After  this  is  all  arranged,  go  to  the  nearest  pond  or  brook 
and  dredge  up  some  water  plants.  Any,  that  are  not  too  lar^e' 
will  do-starwort,  milfoil,  bladder- wort,  pondweed,  etc  Fast' 


Fig.  so. 

en  the  roots  of  your  plants  to  small  stones  with  a  bit  of  strin^r 
and  arrange  them  about  the  tank  to  suit  your  taste.  R 
ank  wah  water,  and  let  it  stand  in  the  window  for  a  week  or 
^vo  where  :t  will  receive  plenty  of  light  and  but  little  ^un 

SLr  Ii  tir  f  "'^"'^  ""'"to- 

other httle  plants  will  have  started  into  life  of  their  own  accord 
The  ^  ^^^^  .^^^^  jccord 

handle  the  fish;  if,  for  any  cause,  you  wish  to  remove  them 
hft  them  gently  with  a  dip-net.  ' 
4 


50 


Spring. 


Should  you  wish  to  keep  a  Httle  turtle,  a  crawfish,  or  any- 
such  animal,  you  must  have  your  rockery  so  arranged  that  part 


Fig,  52. 


of  it  will  protrude  above  the  water ;  or,  better  still,  have  a  viva- 
rium or  land-and-water  aquarium,  such  as  is  shown  in  Figures  51 


How  to  Stock  a  Fresh- Water  Aquarhtm.  51 

and  52.  With  a  tank  made  upon  this  plan  you  can  have  aquatic 
plants  as  well  as  land  plants  and  flowers,  a  sandy  beach  for  the 
turtle  to  sleep  upon,  as  he  loves  to  do,  and  a  rockery  for  the 
crawfish  to  hide  in  and  keep  out  of  mischief.  Some  species  of 
snails  like  to  crawl  occasionally  above  the 
water-line.  Such  an  aquarium  makes  an  inter- 
esting object  for  the  conservatory. 

Figure  No.  53  shows  how  a  fountain  can  be 
made.     The  opening  of  the  fountain  should 
be  so  small  as  to  allow  only  a  fine  jet  of  water 
to  issue  from  it;  the  reservoir  or"  supply-tank 
should  be  out  of  sight,  and  quite  large,  so  that, 
by  filling  it  at  night,  the  fountain  will  keep  play- 
ing all  day.    The  waste-pipe  should  open  at 
the  level  you  intend  to  keep 
the  water,  and   the  opening 
should  be  covered  with  a  piece 
of  mosquito-netting  or  wire- 
gauze  to  prevent  any  creature 
from  being  drawn  in. 

In  an  aquarium  with  a  slant- 
ing bottom,  only  the  front  need 
Fig.  53.  i_       r    1  , 

be  of  glass ;  the  other  three 

sides  can  be  made  of  slate,  which  is  also  a  good  material  for 
the  false  bottom.  In  ponds,  rivers,  and  lakes,  the  only  light 
received  comes  from  above  ;  so  we  can  understand  that  a  vessel  • 
admitting  light  upon  all  sides,  as  well  as  from  the  top,  forms 
an  unnaturally  luminous  abode  for  fish.  The  glass  front  is 
sufficient  for  the  spectator  to  see  through. 

The  author  has  a  tank  twenty-five  inches  long,  eleven  inches 
wide,  and  twelve  inches  high— far  too  narrow  and  deep  ;  but 
these  defects  have  been,  in  a  measure,  overcome  by  filling  it 
only  two-thirds  full  of  water,  and  allowing  the  green  vegetation 


52 


spring. 


to  grow  undisturbed  upon  three  sides  of  the  aquarium  ;  the  re- 
maining side  is  kept  clean  by  rubbing  off  all  vegetable  matter 
once  a  week  with  a  long-handled  bottle-washer.  A  rag  or  a 
piece  of  sponge,  tied  upon  the  end  of  a  stick,  will  answer  the 
same  purpose.  This  tank  has  been  in  a  flourishing  condition 
for  three  years,  and  the  water  has  been  changed  only  once,  and 
then  all  the  water  was  removed  so  that  some  alteration  could 
be  made  in  the  rockery. 

But  one  of  the  inmates  has  died  since  last  summer,  and  that 
was  a  bachelor  stickleback,  who  probably  received  a  nip  from 
the  pincers  of  one  of  the  craw-fish.  Two  of  these  creatures  have 
their  den  in  the  rockery  that  occupies  the  centre  of  the  tank. 
A  German  carp,  from  the  Washington  breeding-ponds,  browses 
all  day  long  upon  the  mossy  surface  of  the  rocks,  or  roots 
around  the  bottom,  taking  great  mouthfuls  of  sand  and  then  puff- 
ing it  out  again  like  smoke.  A  striped  dace  spends  most  of  his 
time  lying  flat  upon  his  stomach  on  the  bottom,  or  roosting 
like  some  subaqueous  bird  upon  branches  of  the  aquatic  plants 
or  on  a  submerged  rock.  A  big  and  a  little  killie  "  dart 
around  after  the  boat-bugs,  which  they  seldom  catch  ;  and  if 
they  do,  they  drop  them  again  in  great  trepidation.  A  diminu- 
tive pond-bass  asserts  his  authority  over  the  larger  fish  in  a 
most  tyrannous  manner.  An  eel  lives  under  the  sand  in  the 
bottom,  and  deigns  to  make  his  appearance  only  once  in  sev- 
eral months,  much  to  the  amazement  of  the  other  inhabitants, 
all  of  whom  seem  to  forget  his  presence  until  the  smell  of  a  bit 
of  meat  brings  his  long  body  from  his  retreat.  Numerous  little 
mussels  creep  along  the  bottom  ;  periwinkles  and  snails  crawl 
up  and  down  the  sides  ;  caddice-worms  cHng  to  the  plants,  and 
everything  appears  perfectly  at  home  and  contented. 

And  why  ?  Because  their  home  is  arranged  as  nearly  as 
possible  like  their  natural  haunts,  where  they  were  captured. 
Learn  the  habits  of  any  creature,  and  give  it  a  chance  to  follow 


How  to  Stock  a  Fresh- Water  Aquarhtm.  53 

Stocking, 

Feed  your  fish  on  insects  once  or  twice  a  week.  Do  not  try 

r.T''  '  \  "'^^       ^""^■•>''  little  per 

suas,on  Boat-bugs  whirligig-beetles,  and,  in  fact,  almost  all 
the  aquat.c  bugs  and  beetles,  will  eat  lean,  raw  meat,  if  given 
to  them  in  small  bits.  ^ 

fish,  and  even  dispute  with  the  latter  over  a  dainty  piece 
of  food.    One  of  the  most  amusing  sights  is  a  tiny  threadTe 
eel  and  a  pugnacious  whirligig-beetle  fighting  for  the  possession 
of  a  fly.  The  eel  generally  comes  off  victorious  :  if  he  succeeds 
in  once  getting  a  good  hold  of  the  fly,  he  will  make  a  cork- 
screw or  spiral  of  his  body,  then  commence  revolving  so  rapidly 
as  to  often  throw  the  whirligig  out  of  the  water  ^ 
Remember  that  aquatic  animals,  like  all  other  creatures  are 
very  variable  in  their  appetites  ;  some  are  gluttons,  some  elt 
sparingly,  some  prefer  animal  food,  while  others  li^e  entirely 
upon  vegetable  matter.    Carp,  dace,  and  such  fish  w  1  2 
bread  ;  bass,  pickerel,  and  gars  will  not. 

_  Never  allow  any  food  to  remain  in  the  bottom  of  the  aqua- 
rium to  spoil,  for  it  will  contaminate  the  water.  The  vegeta- 
rians m  your  tank  will  feed  upon  the  plants  growing  therein  and 
they  will  all  eat  bread.  Most  fish  will  likf  the  p^rep  d  fo^^^^ 
which  you  can  obtain  at  any  aquarium  store 

In  selecting  fish  for  your  aquarium,  be  careful  to  have  the 

^oM  fi  T  t  '"^         ""'^'^  *e  dace,  carVo 

olac;  '-^'---^^^  fish  will  soon  find  .  resfinj- 

place  inside  the  former.  ^ 

■  Never  put  a  large  frog  in  an  aquarium,  for  he  will  devour 
everything  there.    A  bull-frog  that  I  kept  in  my  studio  for 


54 


Spring. 


more  than  a  year  swallowed  fish,  live  mice,  and  brown  bats  ;  he 
also  swallowed  a  frog  of  nearly  his  own  size;  but  when  he  en- 
gulfed a  young  alligator,  we  were  almost  as  amazed  as  if  he  had 
swallowed  himself. 

The  Frog. 

For  the  beriefit  of  the  curious,  here  is  a  partial  record  of  Mr. 
Frog's  meals  from  May  until  November : 

May  14th. — Over  a  dozen  brown  beetles. 

May  15th. — One  full-grown  live  mouse. 

May  19th. — One  full-grown  spotted  frog. 

May  24th. — A  piece  of  beef  one-third  size  of  the  frog  himself. 

June  2d,  9  A.M. — One  live  mouse. 

June  2d,  I  P.M. — One  live  mouse. 

June  5th. — A  piece  of  steak  one-half  size  of  the  frog. 

July  1 8th. — One  full-grown  live  mouse. 

July  20th. — One  young  alligator  1 1 inches  long. 

This  was  a  pet  alligator,  and  I  just  came  in  in  time  to  see 
the  tip  of  his  tail  sticking  out  of  the  frog's  mouth.  Taking  hold 
of  the  alligator's  tail  I  helped  Mr.  Frog  disgorge  my  pet,  but 
the  saurian  was  dead. 

July  27th.— One  full-grown  live  mouse. 

July  29th. — One  full-grown  live  mouse. 

August  9th. — One  full-grown  live  mouse. 

September  17th. — One  large  brown  bat. 

September  20th. — One, live  craw-fish. 

September  21st. — Two  live  craw-fish. 

September  22d. — One  live  craw-fish. 

September  25th,  27th,  and  October  8th. — Each  one  full- 
grown  live  mouse. 

November  15th. — This  gluttonous  frog  ate  two-thirds  of  a 
white  perch  and 

November  17th. — Died  of  a  fit  of  indigestion. 


How  to  Stock  a  Fresh- JVater  Aquarium.  55 


But  so  celebrated  had  the  frog  become  on  account  of  his 
pluck  and  voracious  appetite,  that  his  obituary  was  published 
in  several  papers. 

Craw-fish  are  very  mischievous  ;  they  pull  up  the  plants,  up- 
set the  rockery,  nip  the  ends  off  the  fishes'  tails,  crack  the  mus- 
sel-shells, pull  out  the  inmates  and  devour  them,  squeeze  the 
caddice-worm  from  his  little  log-house,  and,  in  fact,  are  incorri- 
gible mischief-makers.  But,  from  that  very  fact,  I  always  keep 
one  or  two  small  ones.  The  other  inhabitants  of  the  aquarium 
soon  learn  to  dread  the  pincer  of  these  fresh-water  lobsters,  and 
keep  out  of  the  way.  Tadpoles  are  always  an  interesting  addi- 
tion to  an  aquarium. 

Pickerel  and  gars  should  be  kept  in  an  aquarium  by  them- 
selves. 

Pond-bass  make  very  intelligent  pets.    I  once  had  three 
hundred  of  these  little  fellows,  perfectly  tame.    Down  in  one 
corner  of  the  cornfield  I  found  two  patent  washing-machines, 
the  beds  of  which  were  shaped  like  scow-boats.  These  old  ma- 
chines were  fast  going  to  ruin,  and  I  readily  gained  permission 
to  use  them  for  whatever  purpose  I  wished  ;  so,  with  a  hatchet, 
I  knocked  off  the  legs  and  top-gear ;  then  removed  a  side  from 
each  box,  and  fastened  the  two  together,  making  a  tank  about 
four  feet  square.  The  seam,  or  crack,  where  the  two  parts  joined, 
was  filled  with  oakum,  and  the  whole  outside  was  thickly 
daubed  with  coal-tar.    The  tank  was  then  set  in  a  hole  dug 
for  that  purpose,  and  dirt  filled  in  and  packed  around  the  sides! 
Back  of  it  I  piled  rocks,  and  planted  ferns  in  all  the  cracks 
and  crannies,  and  also  put  rocks  in  the  centre  of  the  tank,  first 
covering  the  bottom  with  sand  and  gravel.    After  filling  this 
with  water  and  plants,  three  hundred  little  bass  were  introduced, 
and  they  soon  became  so  tame  that  they  would  follow  my  finger 
all  around,  or  would  jump  out  of  the  water  for  a  bit  of  meat  ' 
held  between  the  fingers.     Almost  any  wild  creatures  will 


56 


Spring. 


yield  to  persistent  kind  treatment,  and  become  tame.  Gener- 
ally, too,  they  learn  to  have  a  sort  of  trustful  affection  for  their 
keepers,  who,  however,  to  earn  the  confidence  of  such  friends, 
should  be  almost  as  wise,  punctual,  and  unfailing  as  good  Dame 
Nature  herself. 

Gold-Fish  versus  Bass. 

One  of  the  same  bass,  which  I  gave  to  a  friend  of  mine, 
lived  in  an  ordinary  glass  globe  for  three  years.  It  was  a  very 
intelligent  fish,  but  very  spiteful  and  jealous.  My  friend's 
mother  thought  it  was  lonesome,  and  so,  one  day,  she  brought 
home  a  beautiful  gold-fish — a  little  larger  than  the  bass — to 
keep  it  company.  She  put  the  gold-fish  in  the  globe,  and 
watched  the  bass,  expecting  to  see  it  wonderfully  pleased  ; 
but  the  little  wretch  worked  himself  into  a  terrible  passion, 
erected  every  spine  upon  his  back,  glared  a  moment  at  the  in- 
truder, and  then  made  a  dart  forward,  seized  the  gold»fish  by 
the  abdomen,  and  shook  it  as  a  terrier-dog  shakes  a  rat,  until 
the  transparent  water  was  glittering  all  over  with  a  shower  of 
golden  scales.  As  soon  as  possible,  the  carp  was  rescued  ;  but 
it  was  too  late.  He  only  gasped  and  died.  The  vicious  little 
bass  swam  around  and  around  his  globe,  biting  in  his  rage  at 
all  the  floating  scales.  Ever  after,  he  was  allowed  to  live  a 
hermit's  life,  and  he  behaved  himself  well.  At  last  the  family 
went  away  for  a  couple  of  weeks,  and,  when  they  returned,  the 
poor  little  bass  lay  dead  at  the  bottom  of  his  globe. 

It  might  be  well  to  state,  before  finishing  this  article,  that 
common  putty,  after  being  exposed  to  the  action  of  water,  is 
very  apt  to  soften  and  crumble  away,  or  drop  off  in  large  flakes. 
Painting  it  will  not  prevent  this.  In  New  York,  and  I  suppose 
other  large  cities,  the  aquarium-stores  keep  a  substance  which 
they  call  aquarium  cement.  It  looks  like  red  putty,  but  I  have 
found  that  it  withstands  the  action  of  water  admirably.  For 


How  to  Stock  a  Fresh-Water  Aquarium.  57 


fifty  cents  enough  can  be  purchased  to  cement  a  large  aqua- 
rium ;  but  for  the  benefit  of  those  among  my  readers  who  live 
out  of  the  cities,  the  following  receipt  from  the  Scientific  Amer- 
ican is  inserted. 

"  Aquariiun  Cement. — Linseed  oil,  3  oz. ;  tar,  4  oz.  ;  resin, 
I  lb. ;  melt  together  over  a  gentle  fire.  If  too  much  oil  is  used 
the  cement  will  run  down  the  angles  of  the  aquarium;  to  obvi- 
ate this  it  should  be  tested  before  using  by  allowing  a  small 
quantity  to  cool  under  water  ;  if  not  found  sufficiently  firm,  allow 
it  to  simmer  longer  or  add  more  tar  and  resin.  The  cement 
should  be  poured  in  the  corners  of  the  aquarium  while  warm 
(not  hot).    This  cement  is  pliable,  and  is  not  poisonous." 


Whirligig  and  the  Eel. 


1 


CHAPTER  VI. 

HOW  TO  KEEP  AQUATIC  PLANTS  IN  THE  HOUSE 
OR  FLOWER-GARDEN. 

In  gathering  plants  for  your  aquarium  you  will  undoubt- 
edly see  many  much  too  large  for  your  purpose,  and  yet  so 
beautiful  that  you  naturally  desire  to  keep  them.  Some  water 
plants  are  extremely  lovely  and  all  of  them  odd  when  seen 
growing  anywhere  but  in  their  accustomed  places.  Water- 
lilies  growing  in  the  midst  of  a  lawn  will  be  sure  to  excite  sur- 
prise, and  cat-tails  flourishing  in  a  conservatory  will  be  a  nov- 
elty. Yet  it  is  a  comparatively  simple  matter  to  rear  these  and 
other  aquatic  plants  in  your  house  and  garden. 

Water-Lily. 

Select  a  spot  in  your  flower-bed  and  make  an  excavation  of 
suflicient  depth  to  set  a  water-tight  barrel  in,  so  that  the  top 
of  the  barrel  will  be  even  with  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Set 
the  barrel  in  and  fill  the  earth  around..  In  the  bottom  of  the 
barrel  put  about  eight  or  ten  inches  of  black  pond- mud  ;  plant 
the  water-lily  roots  firmly  in  centre  of  mud.  Fill  the' barrel 
with  water,  being  careful  to  pour  it  in  gradually,  so  as  not  to 
disturb  or  displace  the  mud.  Figure  54  shows  a  cross-section  of 
ground  and  barrel.  Everything  being  then  as  it  is  in  the  nat- 
ural or  wild  state,  the  lily  will  flourish  and  bloom,  adding  a 
beautiful  and  curious  feature  to  your  plat.  Supply  fr^h  water 
only  as  the  water  in  the  barrel  evaporates. 


1 


6o 


Spring. 


Cat-Tails. 

Cat-tails  are  of  graceful  form  and  make  a  pretty  back- 
ground. At  the  nearest  marsh  dig  up  a  bunch  of  good  healthy 
ones  and  plant  them  in  some  of  their  native  mud  in  a  water- 
tight box  or  pail.  Set  the  box  or  pail  in  the  earth.  A  cover 
of  plank,  with  a  round  hole  in  the  centre  for  the  cat-tails  to 
come  through,  should  be  put  over  the  top  and  covered  with  the 
sod.  Half  an  inch  of  water  over  the  surface  of  the  mud  in 
box  or  pail  is  all  that  is  necessary.  (See  illustration,  Fig.  55.) 
Figure  56  shows  how  cat-tails  may  be  disposed  of  in-doors,  or 
where  it  is  inconvenient  to  make  room  for  them  in  the  soil. 
A  very  unique  and  effective  floral  arrangement  may  be  made 
by  grouping  pot-plants  around  them. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

HOW  TO  STOCK  AND  KEEP  A  MARINE  AQUA- 
RIUM. 

The  first  introduction  of  the  aquarium  revealed  another 
world  and  its  inhabitants  :  a  world  of  enchantment,  farsurpass- 
mgany  described  in  the  "Arabian  Nights"  or  fairy  tales  •  a 
world  teeming  with  life  so  strange  that  some  of  it  we  can 
scarcely  believe  to  be  real. 

The  marine  aquarium  has  laid  bare  secrets  that  have  been 
locked  m  the  breast  of  the  ocean  for  ages.  Through  the  crystal 
sides  ofthe  tanks  are  now  shown  living  animals,  of  forms  so 
lovely  and  delicate  as  to  remind  us  ofthe  tracery  of  frost-work 
We  can  behold  in  the  transparent  waters  fishes  circling  about' 
with  distended  fins  that  resemble  the  gorgeous  wings  of  but- 
terflies ;  and  we  can  see,  glancing  here  and  there,  other  fish 
the  glitter  of  whose  glossy  sides  dazzles  us  and  is  as  various  in 
hue  as  the  rainbow.  The  rocks  at  the  bottom  are  carpeted  with 
animals  in  the  forms  of  lovely  flowers  ! 

The  remarks  in  regard  to  the  form  and  general  construction 
of  fresh-water  aquariums  will  apply  equally  to  marine  tanks 
The  best  form  for  the  latter  is  the  shallow  vessel  with  a  slanting 
false  bottom,  described  in  a  preceding  chapter  and  illustrated 
by  Figures  51  and  52. 

If  you  have  a  common  rectangular  tank,  such  as  can  be 
purchased  at  any  aquarium-store  (Fig.  50),  it  may  be  rendered 
mhabitable  for  marine  animals  by  making  a  few  improvements 
four  tall  glass  panels  admit  too  much  light ;  therefore  give  the 


62 


spring. 


outside  of  the  glass  a  coat  of  green  paint  on  all  but  one  side, 
leave  that  clean  and  transparent  to  serve  as  a  window,  through 
which  may  be  observed  the  interior  and  its  occupants.  The 
rockery  or  arch  that  is  to  occupy  the  centre  of  the  aquarium 
should  be  cemented  together  with  marine  cement.  Although 
this  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  it  is  the  best  plan,  and  prevents 
many  accidents.  The  following  receipt  I  cull  from  the  Scientific 
America7t : 

Cement  for  Marine  Aquaria.— Tdik^  lO  parts,  by  measure, 
litharge,  lo  parts  plaster-of-Paris,  lo  parts  dry  white  sand,  i 
part  finely  powdered  resin,  and  mix  them  when  wanted  for  use 
into  a  pretty  stiff  putty  with  boiled  linseed  oil.  This  will  stick 
to  wood,  stone,  metal  or  glass,  and  hardens  under  water.  It 
resists  the  action  of  salt  water.  It  is  better  not  to  use  the  tank 
until  three  days  after  it  has  been  cemented^ 

The  arch  may  be  built  out  of  clean  cinders  or  ragged  and 
irregular  stones  ;  an  old  oyster-shell  with  its  rough  side  upper- 
most can  be  used  as  a  top-piece.  To  make  the  arch  steady 
and  not  Hable  to  upset,  the  bottom  should  be  composed  of 
rather  large  flat  stones. 

Cover  the  bottom  of  the  aquarium  to  a  depth  of  an  inch  or 
more  with  sand  from  the  beach.  Procure  the  salt  water  from 
the  ocean  itself,  and  if  possible  obtain  the  supply  some  distance 
from  shore.  In  no  case  must  you  dip  the  water  for  your  aqua- 
rium up  from  the  mouth  of  a  fresh-water  stream  or  muddy 
creek.  If  the  tank  is  narrow  and  deep,  fill  only  about  one-third 
of  it.  Let  the  water  stand  in  the  aquarium  for  several  days 
before  introducing  the  plants.  Select  the  bright  algse  or  sea- 
weeds that  you  find  attached  to  small  pebbles ;  the  stones  will 
of  course  sink  to  the  bottom  of  your  aquarium  and  keep  the 
plants  in  an  upright  and  stationary  position.  After  all  is  ar- 
ranged to  your  satisfaction,  choose  a  place  for  the  location  of  your 
tank  where  there  will  be  light  enough  to  plainly  see  its  contents 


How  to  Stock  a  Marine  Aquarmm.  63 

and  cause  little  bubbles  of  oxygen  to  collect  and  rise  from  the 
vegetation.    A  window  facing  the  north  or  northeast  is  the 
best  situation.   When  you  observe  that  the  plants  are  in  a  thriv- 
ing condition,  and  that  a  new  vegetation  has  apparently  sprung 
spontaneously  into  existence,  carpeting  the  rockery  and  sides 
of  the  glass  with  green,  then  and  not  until  then  introduce  the 
animals.    Be  very  careful  not  to  overstock  the  tank.  Remem- 
ber, no  matter  how  bright  and  pleasant  a  room  may  be  with 
one  or  two  persons  in  it,  the  atmosphere  of  that  same  room  will 
become  foul  and  heavy  in  the  presence  of  a  large  crowd,  and 
if  the  ventilation  be  insufficient,  headache,  dizziness,  and  death 
will  ensue,  as  was  the  case  in  the  terrible  Black  Hole  of  Cal- 
cutta.   Unless  you  want  to  make  a  miniature  "  black  hole  " 
of  your  aquarium,  do  not  overcrowd  it.    Let  the  water  have 
light,  but  no  sunshine.    Put  a  glass  cover  over  the  tank  to  keep 
out  the  dust,  but  let  the  cover  fit  loosely  enough  to  allow  a  free 
circulation  of  air.    The  glass  top-piece  will  in  a  measure  pre- 
vent evaporation.    If,  however,  any  water  is  lost  from  this 
cause,  recollect  that  the  salts  contained  in  sea  water  do  not 
evaporate,  and  consequently  the  tank  may  be  replenished  with 
fresh  water  equalling  the  amount  evaporated.    Beware  of  the 
hot  summer  months.    I  have  always  found  it  more  difficult  to 
keep  the  water  pure  during  July  and  August  than  any  other 
part  of  the  year.   Do  not  allow  smoking  in  the  room  where 
your  aquarium  is,  as  the  foul  atmosphere  taints  the  water  I 
once  lost  almost  all  the  inhabitants  of  a  thriving  marine  tank 
by  allowing  a  party  of  gentlemen  to  smoke  in  the  room  where 
it  was  standing.   If  you  have  company  in  the  evening,  the  room 
as  a  rule,  will  become  overheated,  and  you  should  take  the  pre^ 
caution  to  wrap  the  sides  of  the  tank  with  wet  towels. 

The  prepared  food  mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter  will 
answer  for  some  salt-water  animals.  Lean  beef,  cut  in  very  small 
bits,  may  be  dried  and  kept  for  feeding  marine  pets  when  oysters 


64 


Spring. 


or  clams  cannot  be  had.  The  clams  and  oysters  should  be  chopped 
up  very  fine  when  used.  Anemones  and  madrepores  should  be 
fed  in  quantities  regulated  by  the  size  of  the  animals,  and  not 
more  frequently  than  once  a  week.  The  food  should  be  placed 
gently  within  their  reach  by  means  of  a  pair  of  forceps  or  some 
similar  instrument.  Crabs  will  soon  learn  to  come  out  of  their 
hiding-places  at  meal-times,  and  the  fish  will  not  be  behind  time 
in  getting  their  share  of  chopped  clam.  If  you  have  a  vivarium 
(Figs.  51  and  52),  a  handful  of  fiddler-crabs  may  be  kept  upon 
your  artificial  beach,  where  they  will  soon  make  themselves  at 
home  and  afford  a  constant  source  of  amusement  by  their  an- 
tics. I  kept  a  lot  of  little  fiddlers  "  in  a  fish  globe,  and  for 
more  than  a  year  they  lived  without  salt  water,  happy  and  con- 
tented with  a  bit  of  damp  sand  to  dig  in  and  an  occasional  piece 
of  chopped  oyster  to  eat.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  odder 
or  more  easily  satisfied  pets  than  the  grotesque  little  fiddlers. 
Each  male  crab  has  one  large  claw  which  for  exercise  or  amuse- 
ment he  keeps  in  constant  motion,  only  folding  it  up  when 
preparing  to  enter  his  hole  or  scamper  sideways  across  the 
sand.  The  pedunculated  eyes  of  these  little  creatures  stand  up 
in  a  manner  that  gives  them  a  very  pert  appearance. 

Remove  all  dead  animals  or  particles  of  food  not  devoured 
by  the  inmates,  from  the  aquarium,  to  prevent  the  water  from 
becoming  tainted  with  poisonous  gases  emanating  from  the 
decaying  animal  matter.  Dead  vegetation,  though  not  as  inju- 
rious as  dead  animals,  should  nevertheless  be  removed,  for  it  is 
unsightly,  and  makes  the  water  turbid  and  muddy.  No  matter 
how  foul  sea-water  may  become,  you  must  not  waste  it,  for  the 
injury  is  never  permanent,  and  can  soon  be  remedied  by  filter- 
ing or  exposing  it  in  earthenware  vessels  to  the  air  and  gently 
stirring  it  occasionally  with  a  stick  or  piece  of  glass. 

A  filter  may  be  made  of  a  flower-pot,  by  stopping  up  the 
hole  in  the  bottom  with  a  perforated  cork  in  which  a  small 


How  to  Stock  a  Marine  Aquarium. 


quill  has  been  inserted,  and  then  filling  the  pot  half  full  of  pow- 
dered charcoal,  sand,  and  gravel— the  charcoal  at  the  bottom, 
the  sand  next,  and  the  fine  gravel  or  coarse  sand  on  top.  This 
filter  when  in  use  should  be  hung  over,  but  some  distance 
above,  an  earthen-ware  dish,  and  the  water  allowed  to  fall  drop 
by  drop,  or  in  a  small  stream,  from  the  pot  to  the  dish,  or  the 
filter  may  be  hung  over  the  aquarium,  and  each  drop  of  water 
as  it  falls  will  carry  with  it  into  the  tank  below  particles  of  the 
purifying,  Hfe-giving  oxygen  gathered  up  on  its  journey  through 
the  air. 


Fiddler  Crabs." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


HOW  TO  COLLECT  FOR  MARINE  AQUARIUM. 

Near  high- water  mark,  among  the  sea-weed  and  drift  that 
have  been  washed  up  by  a  storm,  is  a  veritable  curiosity  shop, 
and  one  well  worth  inspecting,  but  most  of  the  animals  to  be 
found  in  this  heterogeneous  mass  of  drift,  shells,  plants,  and 
pieces  of  wreck  are  either  badly  injured  or  dead,  and,  though 
many  valuable  specimens  may  here  be  obtained  for  the  cabinet 
or  museum,  it  is  not  a  good  place  to  find  living,  healthy  ani- 
mals for  the  aquarium. 

If  you  are  going  on  a  collecting  tour  in  search  of  living  ob- 
jects you  must  go  prepared  for  a  good  rough-and-tumble  time 
among  slippery  stones,  muddy  bottoms,  or  'grimy  old  docks 
and  piers. 

You  should  wear  no  clothing  that  you  care  to  preserve. 
Salt  water  will  ruin  shoes,  so  put  on  any  old  pair  that  will  pro- 
tect your  feet  from  the  shells  or  sharp  stones ;  if  the  shoes  have 
holes  that  let  the  water  in,  console  yourself  with  the  thought 
that  the  water  can  run  out  the  same  way.  In  fact,  you  must 
be  prepared  for  a  slip-up  in  the  mud,  or  a  good  ducking  in 
the  shallow  water,  where  the  bottom  is  often  so  slippery  that 
it  is  hard  to  wade  far  without  involuntarily  sitting  down  once 
or  twice.  After  you  have  rigged  yourself  out  in  "  old  togs," 
next  equip  yourself  with  a  basket  to  hold  upright  some  glass 
preserve-jars  or  a  lot  of  wide-mouthed  bottles  ;  then,  armed  with 
a  small  hammer,  an  old  case-knife  or  trowel,  a  dip-net  made  of 
coarse  bagg  ing  or  fine  mosquito-netting,  you  are  ready  for  any 


How  to  Collect  for  Marine  Aquaritim.  67 


game  from  a  lobster  to  the  minute  little  crustacean  found  among 
the  algae. 

You  should  time  your  excursion  so  as  to  be  on  the  hunting- 
ground  at  extreme  low  tide.  As  soon  as  you  reach  the  beach 
wade  right  into  your  work ;  look  under  the  stones,  scoop  up 
the  sand  or  mud  with  your  net  from  the  bottom  of  all  the  pools 
left  by  the  tide,  examine  every  promising-looking  bunch  of 
sea-weed,  and  before  the  tide  comes  in  you  will  have  material 
enough  to  stock  forty  aquariums.  When  you  reach  home  sort 
out  your  specimens,  discard  all  weak  and  sickly  animals,  and 
put  the  healthy  ones  in  flat  earthenware  dishes  of  salt  water, 
where  they  may  be  examined  at  leisure,  and  the  proper  ones 
taken  out  and  put  into  your  aquarium.  In  the  mud  and  sand 
between  the  tides,  or  in  the  shallow  water  at  extreme  low  tide, 
live  many  curious  creatures. 

If  you  should  discover  among  the  dirt  in  the  bottom  of  your 
dip-net  some  queer-looking  tubes,  preserve  them  carefully,  fof 
they  may  contain  some  of  those  odd  and  often  brilliantly  col- 
ored marine  worms.  The  inland  boy,  who  is  accustomed  to 
see  only  the  unsightly  angle-worm,  has  no  idea  what  really 
beautiful  creatures  some  of  the  marine  worms  are.  See,  for  in- 
stance, there  is-something  in  the  mud  that  looks  like  a  drop  of 
blood.  Put  it  in  a  plate  of  salt  water  and  watch  how  one  by 
one  it  begins  to  put  forth  its  tentacles  until  its  whole  appear- 
ance is  changed.  This  is  a  worm  with  a  long  scientific*  name, 
which  you  may  learn  by  and  by  if  you  become  interested 
enough  in  your  recreation  to  make  a  study  of  it. 
/  Do  not  neglect  to  collect  a  few  barnacles  for  your  aquarium, 
and  you  will  find  yourself  amply  repaid  for  the  trouble  you 
found  in  detaching  them  from  their  native  posts  or  rocks,  when 
you  see  them  each  put  forth  an  odd  hand-shaped  member,  open- 


*  Polycirrus  eximius. 


I 


68 


Spring. 


ing  and  closing  the  numerous  long,  slender  fingers  as  if  the  ani- 
mals  inside  the  shells  were  grasping  for  something  in  the  water 
as,  indeed,  they  are,  for  it  is  by  this  means  that  the  little  hermits 
in  their  acorn-shaped  houses  obtain  their  food. 

For  collecting  in  deep  water,  dredges  are'  used  ;  these  are 
described  among  the  summer  sports,,  page  86. 


The  Young  Collectors. 


1 


Summtt. 


I 


CHAPTER  IX. 
KNOTS,  BENDS,  AND  HITCHES. 

The  art  of  tying  knots  is  an  al- 
most necessary  adjunct  to  not  a  few 
recreations.  Especially  is  this  true 
of  summer  sports,  many  of  which 
are  nautical,  or  in  some  manner 
connected  with  the  water. 


1 


72  Suinmer. 


Any  boy  who  has  been  aboard  a  yacht  or  a  sail-boat,  must 
have  reaHzed  that  the  safety  of  the  vessel  and  all  aboard  may 
be  imperilled  by  ignorance  or  negligence  in  the  tying  of  a  knot 
or  fastening  of  a  rope. 

With  some,  the  knack  of  tying  a  good,  strong  knot  in  a 
heavy  rope,  or  light  cord,  seems  to  be  a  natural  gift ;  it  is  cer- 
tainly a  very  convenient  accomplishment,  and  one  that  with 
practice  and  a  little  perseverance  may  be  acquired  even  by 
those  who  at  first  make  the  most  awkward  and  bungling  at- 
tempts. 

A  bulky,  cumbersome  knot  is  not  only  ungainly,  but  is  gen- 
erally insecure. 

As  a  rule,  the  strength  of  a  knot  is  in  direct  proportion  to 
its  neat  and  handsome  appearance. 

To  my  mind,  it  is  as  necessary  that  the  archer  should  know 
how  to  make  the  proper  loops  at  the  end  of  his  bow-string, 
as  it  is  that  a  hunter  should  understand  how  to  load  his 
gun. 

Every  fisherman  should  be  able  to  join  two  lines  neatly 
and  securely,  and  should  know  the  best  and  most  expeditious 
method  of  attaching  an  extra  hook  or  fly ;  and  any  boy  who  rigs 
up  a  hammock  or  swing  with  a  granny,"  or  other  insecure 
knot,  deserves  the  ugly  tumble  and  sore  bones  that  are  more 
than  liable  to  result  from  his  ignorance. 

A  knot,  nautically  speaking,  is  a  bend  "  that  is  more  per- 
manent than  a  hitch."  A  knot  properly  tied  never  slips,  nor 
does  it  jam  so  that  it  cannot  be  readily  untied.  A  "hitch" 
might  be  termed  a  temporary  bend,  as  it  is  seldom  relied  upon 
for  permanent  service.  The  hitch  "  is  so  made  that  it  can  be 
cast  off,  or  unfastened,  more  quickly  than  a  knot. 

It  is  impossible  for  the  brightest  boy  to  learn  to  make 
knots,  bends,  and  hitches  "  by  simply  reading  over  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  methods ;  for,  although  he  may  understand  them  at 


Knots^  Bends^  and  Hitches. 


73 


the  time,  five  minutes  after  reading  the  article  the  process 
wiil  have  escaped  his  memory;  but  if  he  take  a  piece  of 
cord  or  rope,  and  sit  down  with  the  diagrams  in  front  of  him, 
he  will  find  little  difficulty  in  managing  the  most  complicated 
knots  ;  and  he  will  not  only  acquire  an  accomplishment  from 
which  he  can  derive  infinite  amusement  for  himself  and  a  means 
of  entertainment  for  others,  but  the  knowledge  gained  may,  in 
case  of  accident  by  fire  or  flood,  be  the  means  of  saving  both 
life  and  property. 

The  accompanying  diagrams  show  a  number  of  useful  and 
important  bends,  splices,  etc.  To  simplify  matters,  let  us  com- 
mence with  Fig.  57,  and  go  through  the  diagrams  in  the  order 
in  which  they  come  : 

The  "  English,"  or  common  single  fisherman's  knot  "  (Fig. 
57,  is  neat  and  strong  enough  for  any  ordinary  strain.  The 
diagram  shows  the  knots  before  being  tightened  and  drawn 
together. 

When  exceptional  strength  is  required  it  can  be  obtained 
by  joining  the  Hnes  in  the  ordinary  single  fisherman's  knot 
(Fig.  57,  I-)?  and  pulling  each  of  the  half  knots  as  tight  as  possi- 
ble, then  drawing  them  within  an  eighth  of  an  inch  of  each 
other  and  wrapping  between  with  fine  gut  that  has  been  pre- 
viously softened  in  water,  or  with  light-colored  silk. 

An  additional  line,  or  a  sinker  may  be  attached  by  tying  a 
knot  in  the  end  of  the  extra  line,  and  inserting  it  between  the 
parts  of  the  single  fisherman's  knot  before  they  are  drawn  to- 
gether and  tightened. 

The  "  fisherman's  double  half  knot,"  Fig.  57  (II.  and  III.). 
After  the  gut  has  been  passed  around  the  main  line  and  through 
itself,  it  is  passed  around  the  line  once  more  and  through  the 
same  loop  again,  and  drawn  close. 

Fig-  57  (IV.,  V.  and  IX.).  Here  are  three  methods  of  join- 
ing the  ends  of  two  lines  together ;  the  diagrams  explain  them 


74 


Summer. 


much  better  than  words  can.  Take  a  piece  of  string,  try  each 
one,  and  test  their  relative  strength. 

Fig.  57  (VI.).  It  often  happens,  while  fishing,  that  a  hook  is 
caught  in  a  snag,  or  by  some  other  means  lost.  The  diagram 
shows  the  most  expeditious  manner  of  attaching  another  hook 
by  what  is  known  as  the  ''sinker  hitch,"  described  further  on 
(Fig.  57,  D,  D,  D,  and  Fig.  58,  XIV.,  XV.,  and  XVI.). 

Fig-  57,  VII.  is  another  and  more  secure  method  of  attach- 
ing a  hook  by  knitting  the  line  on  with  a  succession  of  hitches. 

How  To  Make  a  Horse-Hair  Watch-Guard. 

The  same  hitches  are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  horse-hair 
watch-guards,  much  in  vogue  with  the  boys  in  some  sections 
of  the  country.  As  regularly  as  "kite-time,"  "top-time/'  or 
''ball-time,"  comes  "  horse-hair  watch-guard  time." 

About  once  a  year  the  rage  for  making  watch-guards  used 
to  seize  the  boys  of  our  school,  and  by  some  means  or  other 
almost  every  boy  would  have  a  supply  of  horse-hair  on  hand. 
With  the  first  tap  of  the  bell  for  recess,  some  fifty  hands  would 
dive  into  the  mysterious  depths  of  about  fifty  pockets,  and  be- 
fore the  bell  had  stopped  ringing  about  fifty  watch-guards,  in  a 
more  or  less  incomplete  state,  would  be  produced. 

Whenever  a  teamster's  unlucky  stars  caused  him  to  stop  near 
the  school-house,  a  chorus  of  voices  greeted  him  with  "  Mister, 
please  let  us  have  some  hair  from  your  horses'  tails." 

The  request  was  at  first  seldom  refused,  possibly  because  its 
nature  was  not  at  the  time  properly  understood;  but  lucky  was 
the  boy  considered  who  succeeded  in  pulling  a  supply  of  hair 
from  the  horses'  tails  without  being  interrupted  by  the  heels  of 
the  animals  or  by  the  teamster,  who,  when  he  saw  the  swarm  of 
boys  tugging  at  his  horses'  tails,  generally  repented  his  first 
good-natured  assent,  and  with  a  gruff  "  Get  out,  you  young  ras- 
cals !  "  sent  the  lads  scampering  to  the  school-yard  fence. 


Knots ^  Bends^  mid  Hitches.  75 


Select  a  lot  of  long  hair  of  the  color  desired  ;  make  it  into  a 
switch  about  the  eighth  of  an  inch  thick  by  tying  one  end  in  a 
simple  knot.  Pick  out  a  good,  long  hair  and  tie  it  around  the 
switch  close  to  the  knotted  end ;  then  take  the  free  end  of  the 
single  hair  in  your  right  hand  and  pass  it  under  the  switch  on  one 
side,  thus  forming  a  loop  through  which  the  end  of  the  hair  must 
pass  after  it  is  brought  up  and  over  from  the  other  side  of  the 
switch.  Draw  the  knot  tight  by  pulling  the  free  end  of  the  hair 
as  shown  by  Fig.  57,  VII.  Every  time  this  operation  is  repeated 
a  wrap  and  a  knot  is  produced.  The  knots  follow  each  other 
in  a  spiral  around  the  switch,  giving  it  a  very  pretty,  ornamented 
appearance.  When  one  hair  is  used  up  select  another,  and 
commence  knitting  with  it  as  you  did  with  the  first,  being  care- 
ful to  cover  and  conceal  the  short  end  of  the  first  hair,  and  to 
make  the  knots  on  the  second  commence  where  the  former 
stop.  A  guard  made  of  white  horse-hair  looks  as  if  it  might  be 
composed  of  spun  glass,  and  produces  a  very  odd  and  pretty 
effect.    A  black  one  is  very  genteel  in  appearance. 

Miscellaneous. 

Fig.  57,  VIII.  shows  a  simple  and  expeditious  manner  of 
attaching  a  trolHng  hook  to  a  lish-line. 

Fig.  57,  F  is  a  hitch  used  on  shipboard,  or  wherever  hues 
and  cables  are  used.    It  is  called  the  Blackwall  hitch. 

Fig.  57,  E  is  a  fire-escape  made  of  a  double  bowhne  knot, 
useful  as  a  sling  for  hoisting  persons  up  or  letting  them  down 
from  any  high  place  ;  the  window  of  a  burning  building,  for  in- 
stance. Fig.  58,  XVIII.,  XIX.  and  XX.  show  how  this  knot  is 
made.    It  is  described  on  page  77. 

Fig.  57,  A  is  a  ''bale  hitch,"  made  of  a  loop  of  rope.  To 
make  it,  take  a  piece  of  rope  that  has  its  two  ends  joined ;  lay 
the  rope  down  and  place  the  bale  on  it ;  bring  the  loop  oppo- 
site you  up,  on  that  side  of  the  bale,  and  the  loop  in  front  up, 


76 


SMmmer. 


on  the  side  of  the  bale  next  to  you  ;  thrust  the  latter  loop 
under  and  through  the  first  and  attach  the  hoisting  rope.  The 
heavier  the  object  to  be  lifted,  the  tighter  the  hitch  becomes. 
An  excellent  substitute  for  a  shawl-strap  can  be  made  of  a  cord 
by  using  the  bale  hitch,  the  loop  at  the  top  being  a  first-rate 
handle. 

Fig.  57,  B  is  called  a  cask  sling,  and  C  (Fig.  57)  is  called  a 
butt  sling.  The  manner  of  making  these  last  two  and  their  uses 
may  be  seen  by  referring  to  the  illustration.  It  will  be  noticed 
that  a  line  is  attached  to  the  bale  hitch  in  a  peculiar  manner  (a, 
Fig-  57).  This  is  called  the  anchor  bend."  If  while  aboard 
a  sail-boat  you  have  occasion  to  throw  a  bucket  over  for  water, 
you  will  find  the  anchor  bend  a  very  convenient  and  safe  way 
to  attach  a  line  to  the  bucket  handle. 

Fig.  58,  I.  and  II  .  are  loops  showing  the  elements  of  the  sim- 
plest knots. 

Fig.  58,  III.  is  a  simple  knot  commenced. 

Fig.  58,  IV.  shows  the  simple  knot  tightened. 

Fig.  58,  V.  and  VI.  show  how  the  Flemish  knot  looks  when 
commenced  and  finished. 

Fig.  58,  VII.  and  VIII.  show  a  "  rope  knot  "  commenced 
and  finished. 

Fig.  58,  IX.  is  a  double  knot  commenced. 

Fig.  58,  X.  is  the  same  completed. 

Fig.  58,  XI.  shows  a  back  view  of  the  double  knot. 

Fig.  58,  XII.  is  the  first  loop  of  a  ''bowline  knot."  One 
end  of  the  line  is  supposed  to  be  made  fast  to  some  object. 
After  the  turn  or  loop  (Fig.  58,  XII.)  is  made,  hold  it  in  posi- 
tion with  your  left  hand  and  pass  the  end  of  the  line  up  through 
the  loop  or  turn  you  have  just  made,  behind  and  over  the  line 
above,  then  down  through  the  loop  again,  as  shown  in  the  dia- 
gram (Fig.  58,  XIII.)  ;  pull  it  tight  and  the  knot  is  complete. 
The  "sinker  hitch"  is  a  very  handy  one  to  know,  and  the 


Knots^  Bends^  aiid  Hitches. 


77 


variety  of  uses  it  may  be  put  to  will  be  at  once  suggested 
by  the  diagrams. 

Lines  that  have  both  ends  made  fast  may  have  weights 
attached  to  them  by  means  of  the  sinker  hitch  (Fig  57  D  D 
D). 

To  accomplish  this,  first  gather  up  some  slack  and  make 
it  in  the  form  of  the  loop  (Fig.  58,  XIV.)  ;  bend  the  loop  back 
on  itself  (Fig.  58,  XV.)  and  slip  the  weight  through  the  double 
loop  thus  formed  (Fig.  58,  XVI.)  ;  draw  tight  by  pulHng  the 
two  top  lines,  and  the  sinker  hitch  is  finished  (Fig.  58,  XVII.). 

The  ''fire-escape  sHng "  previously  mentioned,  and  illus- 
trated by  Fig.  57,  E,  is  made  with  a  double  line. 

Proceed  at  first  as  you  would  to  make  a  simple  bowline 
knot  (Fig.  58,  XVIII.). 

After  you  have  run  the  end  loop  up  through  the  turn  (Fig. 
58,  XIX.),  bend  it  downward  and  over  the  bottom  loop  and 
turn,  then  up  again  until  it  is  in  the  position  shown  in  Fig.  58, 
XX.  ;  pull  it  downward  until  the  knot  is  tightened,  as  in  Fig. 
S7>  E,  and  it  makes  a  safe  sHng  in  which  to  lower  a  person 
from  any  height.  The  longer  loop  serves  for  a  seat,  and  the 
shorter  one,  coming  under  the  arms,  makes  a  rest  for  the 
back. 

Fig.  58,  XXI.  is  called  a  "  boat  knot,"  and  is  made  with  the 
aid  of  a  stick.  It  is  an  excellent  knot  for  holding  weights 
which  may  want  instant  detachment.  To  detach  it,  lift  the 
weight  slightly  and  push  out  the  stick,  and  instantly  the  knot 
is  untied. 

Fig.  58,  XXII.    Commencement  of  a    six-fold  knot." 

Fig.  58,  XXIII.  Six-fold  knot  completed  by  drawing  the 
two  ends  with  equal  force.  A  knot  drawn  in  this  manner  is  said 
to  be  *' nipped." 

Fig.  58,  XXIV.  A  simple  hitch  or  ''  double  "  used  in  mak- 
ing loop  knots. 


78 


Summer, 


Fig.  58,  XXV.   "Loop  knot" 

Fig.  58,  XXVI.  shows  how  the  loop  knot  is  commenced. 

Fig.  58,  XXVII.  is  the  Dutch  double  knot,"  sometimes 
called  the     Flemish  loop." 

Fig.  58,  XXVIII.  shows  a  common     running  knot." 

Fig.  58,  XXIX.    A  running  knot  with  a  check  knot  to  hold. 

Fig.  58,  XXX.    A  running  knot  checked. 

Fig.  58,  XXXI.  The  right  hand  part  of  the  rope  shows  how 
to  make  the  double  loop  for  the  twist  knot."  The  left  hand 
part  of  the  same  rope  shows  a  finished  twist  knot.  It  is  made 
by  taking  a  half  turn  on  both  the  right  hand  and  left  hand  lines 
of  the  double  loop,  and  passing  the  end  through  the  bight" 
(loop)  so  made. 

W^hip-Lashes. 

Fig.  58,  XXXII.  is  called  the  chain  knot,"  which  is  often 
used  in  braiding  leather  whip-lashes.  To  make  a  chain  knot," 
fasten  one  end  of  the  thong  or  hne  ;  make  a  simple  loop  and 
pass  it  over  the  left  hand  ;  retain  hold  of  the  free  end  with  the 
right  hand ;  with  the  left  hand  seize  the  line  above  the  right 
hand  and  draw  a  loop  through  the  loop  already  formed  ;  finish 
the  knot  by  drawing  it  tight  with  the  left  hand.  Repeat  the 
operation  until  the  braid  is  of  the  required  length,  then  secure 
it  by  passing  the  free  end  through  the  last  loop. 

Fig.  58,  XXXIII.  shows  a  double  chain  knot. 

Fig.  58,  XXXIV.  is  a  double  chain  knot  pulled  out.  It 
shows  how  the  free  end  is  thrust  through  the  last  loop. 

Fig.  58,  XXXV.  Knotted  loop  for  end  of  rope,  used  to  pre- 
vent the  end  of  the  rope  from  slipping,  and  for  various  other 
purposes. 

Splices,  Timber-Hitches,  etc. 

Although  splices  may  not  be  as  useful  to  boys  as  knots  and 
hitches,  for  the  benefit  of  those  among  my  readers  who  are 


Knots^  Bends,  and  Hitches.  79 

interested  in  the  subject,  I  have  introduced  a  few  bands  and 
splices  on  the  cables  partly  surrounding  Fig.  58. 

Fig.  58,  a  shows  the  knot  and  upper  side  of  a    simple  band." 

Fig.  58,  b  shows  under  side  of  the  same. 

Fig.  58,  c  and  d  show  a  tie  with  cross  ends.    To  hold  the 
ends  of  the  cords,  a  turn  is  taken  under  the  strands. 

Fig.  58,  e  and/.    Bend  with  cross  strands,  one  end  looped 
over  the  other. 

Fig.  58,^  shows  the  upper  side  of  the  "necklace  tie." 
Fig.  58,  h  shows  the  under  side  of  the  same.   The  advantage 
of  this  tie  is  that  the  greater  the  strain  on  the  cords,  the  tighter 
it  draws  the  knot. 

Fig.  58,  i  andy  are  slight  modifications  of  ^  and 
Fig.  58,  /  shows  the  first  position  of  the  end  of  the  ropes 
for  making  the  spHce  k.  Untwist  the  strands  and  put  the 
ends  of  two  ropes  together  as  close  as  possible,  and  place 
the  strands  of  the  one  between  the  strands  of  the  other  alter- 
nately, so  as  to  interlace,  as  in  k.  This  splice  should  only  be 
used  when  there  is  not  time  to  make  the  long  splice,"  as  the 
short  one  is  not  very  strong. 

From  /  to      is  a  long  splice,  made  by  underlaying  the 
strands  of  each  of  the  ropes  joined  about  half  the  length  of  the 
splice,  and  putting  each  strand  of  the  one  between  two  of  the 
other  ;  q  shows  the  strands  arranged  for  the  long  splice. 
Fig.  58,  n  is  a  simple  mode  of  making  a  hitch  on  a  rope. 
Fig.  58,  ^?  is  a    shroud  knot." 

Fig.  58,  r  shows  a  very  convenient  way  to  make  a  handle 
on  a  rope,  and  is  used  upon  large  ropes  when  it  is  necessary  for 
several  persons  to  take  hold  to  pull. 

Fig.  59,  A.  Combination  of  half  hitch  and  timber  hitch. 

Fig.  59,  B.  Ordinary  half  hitch. 

Fig.  59,  C.  Ordinary  timber  hitch. 

Fig.  59,  D.  Another  timber  hitch,  called  the     clove  hitch." 


8o 


Summer. 


Fig.  59,  E.  Hammock  hitch,"  used  for  binding  bales  of 
goods  or  cloth. 

Fig.  59,  F.  **  Lark-head  knot,"  used  by  sailors  and  boat- 
men for  mooring  their  crafts. 

Fig-  59j  P  shows  a  lark-head  fastening  to  a  running  knot. 
Fig.  59,  G  is  a  double-looped  lark-head. 

Fig.  59,  H  shows  a  double-looped  lark-head  knot  fastened 
to  the  ring  of  a  boat. 

Fig.  59,  I  is  a  treble  lark-head."  To  make  it  you  must 
first  tie  a  single  lark-head,  then  divide  the  two  heads  and  use 
each  singly,  as  shown  in  the  diagram. 

Fig.  59,  J  shows  a  simple  boat  knot  with  one  turn. 

Fig.  59,  K.  Crossed  running  knot."  It  is  a  strong  and 
handy  tie,  not  as  difficult  to  make  as  appears  to  be. 

Fig.  59,  L  is  the  bowline  knot,  described  by  the  diagrams 
XIL  and  XIII.  (Fig.  58).  The  free  end  of  the  knot  is  made 
fast  by  binding  it  to  the  bight"  or  the  loop.  It  makes 
a  secure  sling  for  a  man  to  sit  in  at  his  work  among  the 
rigging. 

Fig.  59,  M,  N,  and  O.     Slip  cHnches,"  or    sailors'  knots.'' 

Fig-  59,  Q  shows  a  rope  fastened  by  the  chain  hitch.  The 
knot  at  the  left-hand  end  explains  a  simple  way  to  prevent  a 
rope  from  unravelling. 

Fig.  59,  R.  A  timber  hitch  ;  when  tightened  the  Hne  binds 
around  the  timber  so  that  it  will  not  slip. 

Fig.  59,  S.  Commencement  of  simple  lashing  knot. 

Fig.  59,  T.  Simple  lashing  knot  finished. 

Fig.  59,  U.  Infallible  loop  ;  "  not  properly  a  timber  hitch, 
but  useful  in  a  variety  of  ways,  and  well  adapted  for  use  in 
archery. 

Fig.  59,  V.  Same  as  R,  reversed.    It  looks  like  it  might 
give  way  under  a  heavy  strain,  but  it  will  not. 
Fig.  59,  W.  Running  knot  with  two  ends. 


Knots,  Bends,  and  Hitches.  8i 


Fig.  59,  X  Running  knot  with  a  check  knot  that  can  only 
be  opened  with  a  marline-spike.  ^ 

Fig.  59,  Y.  A  two-ended  running  knot  with  a  check  to  the 
running  Ws.    This  knot  can  be  untied  by  drawing  both  eS 

Fig  59,  Z.  Running  knot  with  two  ends,  fixed  by  a  double 
l^enush  knot.    When  you  wish  to  encircle  a  timber  with  th 
tie  pass  the  ends  on  which  the  check  knot  is  to  be,  through 

Fig.  59,  a  shows  an  ordinary  twist  knot 

Fig.  59,  ^'  shows  the  form  of  loop  for  builders  knot 

■f'g-  59,      Double  twist  knot. 

Fig.  59,  c.  Builder's  knot  finished. 

Fig.  59,  <i  represents  a  double  builder's  knot 

h    f^fn't  "Weaver's  knot,"  same  as  described  under  the 
head  of  Becket  hitch  (Fig.  57,  V). 

Fig.  59,/.  Weaver's  knot'drawn  tight. 

Fig  59,  ^  shows  how  to  commence  a  reef  knot.    This  is 
useful  for  small  ropes;  with  ropes  unequal  in  size  the  kno 
likely  to  draw  out  of  shape,  as  m. 

Fig.  59,  A  shows  a  reef  knot  completed. 

Of  all  knots,  avoid  the  "granny;"  it  is  next  to  useless 
under  a  strain,  and  marks  the  tier  as  a  "  landlubber  ' 

strain'^'       '  ^  ^'"""^  "  ^  granny  under, 

kno?'  """^  commencement  of  a  common  "  rough 

•  Fig.  59,      The  front  view  of  finished  knot. 

tn  J'^Mi^'  ^'  ^'^"^  °^  ''"■^hed  knot.    Although  this 

knot     ,1  gh  this 

L  tLT"  "  ^=  -  very  useful 

at  times  on  account  of  the  rapidity  with  which  it  can  be  made 


82 


Summer. 


Fig.  59,  0  and  p.  Knot  commenced  and  finished,  used  for 
the  same  purposes  as  the  Flemish  knot. 

Fig.  59,  q  and  q' .  An  ordinary  knot  with  the  ends  used 
separately. 

Fig.  59,  s.  Sheep-shank,  or  dog-shank  as  it  is  sometimes 
called,  is  very  useful  in  shortening  a  line.  Suppose,  for  in- 
stance, a  swing  is  much  longer  than  necessary,  and  you  wish 
to  shorten  it  without  climbing  aloft  to  do  so  ;  it  can  be  done 
with  a  sheep-shank. 

Fig.  59,  r  shows  the  first  position  of  the  two  loops.  Take 
two  half  hitches,  and  you  have  a  bend  of  the  form  shown  by  s. 
Pull  tightly  from  above  and  below  the  shank,  and  you  will  find 
that  the  rope  is  shortened  securely  enough  for  ordinary  strain. 

Fig.  59,  Shortening  by  loop  and  turns  made  where  the 
end  of  the  rope  is  free. 

Fig.  59,  u.  A  shortened  knot  that  can  be  used  when  either 
end  is  free. 

Fig.  59,  V,  w,  and  j:.  Shortening  knots. 

Fig.  59,  j?'  and  A  "true  lover's  knot,"  and  the  last  one 
that  you  need  to  practise  on,  for  one  of  these  knots  is  as  much 
as  most  persons  can  attend  to,  and  ought  to  last  a  lifetime. 


CHAPTER  X. 
THE  WATER-TELESCOPE. 

Nearly  three-fourths  of  the  whole  world  is  covered  by 
water.    Old  Isaak  Walton  in  his  quaint  book  says  that  tht 

locks  up  all  her  wonders."  The  previous  chapters  on  fresh 
water  and  manne  aquariums  have  already  shown  how  a  por- 
tion of  the  ''wonders  -  may  be  kept  in  your  own  house  [„ 
what  m,ght  be  termed  little  glass  side-shows  to  the  grea  m" 

sTumTntT""  .  yon  how  to  mL  an"L 

strument  through  wh,ch  you  can  peep  under  the  watery  tent  of 

tteir'ltlaSf  ^"^'-'''^  swimming  ^about  in 

The  water-telescope  is  not  made  of  aqueous  fluid,  as  its 
name  m.ght  :mply    but  is  a  contrivance  made  of  ^ood  or 
metal  through  wh,ch,  when  one  end  is  partly  submerged  ob 
jects  beneath  the -water  can  be  plainly  seen  'hat  wouW  oAer- 
Wise  be  invisible. 

It  is  astonishing  how  many  fathoms  of  water  become  almost 
as  transparent  as  air  when  viewed  through  one  of  these  si«,ple 
and  amusmg  contrivances.  I„  Norway,  the  fisiiermen  make 
prac  ,cal  use  of  the  water  telescope  when  searching  for  he'Lg 

lootd-for2.°'^"  '^'^^ '"^ 

How  to  Make  a  Wooden  Water-Telescope. 

All  that  is  necessary  is  a  long  wooden  box,  a  piece  of  glass 
for  one  end,  and  some  paint  and  putty  for  making  the  seams 


84 


Summer. 


water-tight.  Fix  the  glass  in  one  end  of  the  box,  and  leave 
the  other  end  open  to  admit  the  eyes  of  the  observer,  as  shown 
in  the  illustration  (Fig.  60). 


Fig.  60. — Wooden  Water-Telescopes. 


A  Tin  Water-Telescope, 

is  a  funnel-shaped  tin  horn,  about  three  or  four  feet  long,  eight 
to  ten  inches  in  diameter  at  the  bottom,  and  broad  enough  at 
the  top  to  admit  both  eyes  of  the  observer  (Fig.  61).  Sinkers 
should  be  soldered  on  near  the  bottom,  as  shown  in  the  illustra- 
tion (Fig.  61).    This  in  a  measure  counteracts  the  buoyancy  of 


Fig.  61.— a  Tin  Water-Telescope. 


the  air  contained  in  the  water-tight  funnel,  and  helps  to  sub- 
merge the  big  end. 

The  inside  of  the  funnel  should  be  painted  black,  to  prevent 
the  light  from  being  reflected  upon  the  bright  surface  of  the  tin. 

If  any  difficulty  is  found  in  procuring  a  circular  piece  of  glass, 
the  bottom  may  be  made  square  and  square  glass  used,  and 
fitted  into  a  leaden  frame  made  for  the  purpose. 


The  Water- Telescope.  85 


Any  tinner  can,  at  a  moderate  cost,  make  an  instrument 
like  the  one  just  described. 

A  water-telescope  will  add  greatly  to  the  entertainment  of 
a  boatmg  party  or  picnic,  furnishing  a  new  and  novel  feature 
that  will  become  popular  wherever  it  is  introduced. 

Mr.  Fred.  Holder  tells  me  that  while  collecting  marine  ani- 
mals with  his  father,  Dr.  Holder,  the  naturalist,  they  had  a  boat 
built  with  a  glass  in  the  hull,  arranged  and  worked  upon  the 
same  principle  as  a  water-telescope.  It  was  of  great  service 
where  the  water  was  not  too  deep.  While  one  person  rowed 
the  other  watched  the  bottom,  which  Mr.  Holder  describes  as 
having  the  appearance  of  a  beautiful  panorama  passing  beneath 
him.  Fish  of  all  colors  and  forms  filled  the  intervening  space 
and  sometimes  a  "  devil  fish"  would  cross  the  scene,  flapping 
Its  great  wmg  like  fins  as  it  flew  rather  than  swam  through 
the  clear  water. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


DREDGE,  TANGLE.  AND  TRAWL  FISHING. 

A  New  Sport. 

This  new  pastime  not  only  insures  the  fisherman  something 
to  show  for  his  day's  work,  but,  by  furnishing  an  incentive,  it 
lends  an  additional  charm  to  rowing  or  saiHng,  and  combines 
the  pleasures  of  fishing  and  boating,  perhaps,  in  a  greater  de- 
gree than  any  other  sport  upon  the  list  of  out-door  exercises. 
There  is  no  good  reason  why  the  "  dredge  "  and  "tangle" 
should  be  monopolized  by  a  few  learned  scientists,  nor  why  the 
sport  should  not  be  indulged  in  by  all  boys,  as  well  as  men,  who 
love  the  open  air,  the  salt  sea  breeze.  Nature  and  her  wonders. 

To  put  this  new  pastime  within  the  reach  of  the  boys,  this 
chapter  illustrates  and  describes  the     regular  "  dredge  made 


Dredge,  Tangle,  and  Trawl  Fishing.  87 

upon  the  most  improved  pattern,  and  it  also  shows  how  service- 
able dredges  and  tangles  may  be  made  out  of  simple  materials 
to  be  found  about  any  house. 

The  dredge  is  an  instrument  made  to  drag  along  the  bot- 
tom of  the  water  and  scoop  up  the  objects,  such  as  corals, 
sponges,  etc.,  that  are  found  there. 

The  common  oyster  dredge  is  a  familiar  object  at  all  sea-side 
places,  but  it  has  two  or  three  defects  which  make  it  objection- 
able to  the  amateur  dredger.  In  the  first  place,  it  requires  a 
skilled  hand  to  keep  it  right  side  up  when  in  use.  Nothing  is 
more  discouraging  to  a  beginner  than  to  discover,  after  a  long 
pull,  that  on  account  of  the  dredge  being  towed  upside  down 
the  scraper  has  been  unable  to  perform  its  duty.  The  meshes 
of  an  oyster  dredge  are  made  very  large  purposely,  that  all 
small  objects  may  slip  through.  Among  these  small  objects 
are  some  of  the  curiosities  most  prized  by  the  collector. 

To  remedy  the  first  defect,  the  collector's  dredge  is  made 
with  a  scraper  upon  both  sides  (Fig.  65).  The  second  defect  is 
overcome  by  using  a  net  with  very  fine  meshes. 

The  net,  if  unprotected,  would  soon  be  cut  and  torn  into 
shreds  by  the  sharp-edged  shells  or  rough  bottom.  To  prevent 
this,  it  is  enclosed  in  a  leather  or  canvas  bag  open  at  both  ends 
(Fig.  65).  The  dotted  line  shows  the  net  inside. 
The  handles  and  scrapers  are  composed  of  iron. 
If  the  machine  become  fast  between  the  rocks  of  the  bottom, 
the  string  that  binds  the  joint  marked  in  the  diagram  (Fig.  65) 
will  part,  thus  allowing  the  machine  to  turn  edgewise  and  free 
itself. 

Many  curious  objects  were  frequently  brought  up  clinging  to 
the  cable  or  the  frayed  edges  of  the  canvas  cover  of  the  dredges 
first  used,  and  it  was  noticed  that  the  dredge  itself  seldom  con- 
tained any  of  these  objects.    This  fact  gave  birth  to 


88 


Summer. 


The  Tangle, 

a  name  given  to  tassels  of 
hemp  that  are  often  at- 
tached to  the  bottom  of 
the  dredge  itself  or  used 
separately  (Figs.  66  and 
67). 

The  Trawl. 

If  the  bottom  to  be  ex- 
plored be  smooth  a  trawl 
can  be  used  (Fig.  68). 
This  consists  of  a  net  lar- 
ger than  the  one  connect- 
ed with  the  dredge.  The 
front  of  the  net  is  attached 
to  a  rod  at  the  top  and 
hangs  slack  at  the  bottom, 
being  weighted  by  small 
sinkers.  The  rod  is  fas- 
tened to  runners  which 
allow  the  trawl  to  slide 
smoothly  over  the  bot- 
tom. Weights  are  some- 
times fastened  to  the  ends 
of  the  runners.  It  is  a 
good  idea  to  have  pockets 
in  the  net,  to  prevent  the 
fish  from  escaping.  The 
end  of  the  net  should  be 
gathered  and  tied  with  a 
string,  so  that  by  untying 


Dredge,  Tangle,  and  Trawl  Fishing.  89 

the  string  the  contents  can  be  dumped  out  in  less  time  than  it 
takes  to  tell  of  it. 


How  to  Make  a  Bake-Pan  Dredge. 

There  is  a  sort  of  flat  sheet-iron  pan  used  in  the  kitchen  for 
holding  bread  or  biscuit  while  baking.    It  is  seldom  that  the 
cook  cannot  show  you  one  of  these  pans  (Fig.  62)  that  has 
served  its  time  and  been  discarded.    Such  a  one  will  make  a 
first-rate  frame  for  a  dredge.    The  only  difficulty  will  be  found 
in  cutting  the  bottom  out  neatly.     If  there  be  a  tin  shop  in  the 
neighborhood  it  is  best  to  take  the  pan  there  and  have  the  tinner 
cut  it  for  you;  or  you  may  do  it  yourself  with  a  can  opener 
or  some  other  convenient  instrument.    Cut  as  shown  by  the 
dotted  Hnes  in  Fig.  62,  which  represents  the  pan  bottom  up- 
wards.   This  will  leave  a  margin  of  about  an  inch  and  a  half 
still  adhering  to  the  pan  ;  with  a  strong  nail  and  a  hammer 
punch  holes  all  around  the  marginal  piece  of  the  bottom.  Make 
two  larger  holes  in  each  end  to  admit  the  ropes  forming  the 
handles. 

Bend  the  bottom  pieces  out  as  illustrated  by  Fig.  63,  and  it 
will  produce  a  compact  and  handy  frame  for  a  small  dredge. 

An  old  coffee  sack  can  be  readily  adapted  so  as  to  serve  as  a 
net,  but  if  the  canvas  cover  be  used  as  in  Fig.  65,  mosquito  net- 
ting of  double  thickness  will  answer  for  the  inner  pouch. 

Fig.  64  shows  a  '^bake-pan  dredge"  with  ropes  attached 
ready  for  use.  Although  the  framework  of  a  regular  "  dredge 
can  be  made  by  any  blacksmith  at  trifling  cost,  it  is  more  fun 
to  make  a  dredge  for  one's  self.  When  once  the  principles 
upon  which  a  machine  is  made  are  thoroughly  understood, 
it  requires  but  little  ingenuity  to  produce  home-made  substi- 
tutes that  will  perhaps  answer  as  well,  if  not  better,  than  the 
originals. 


90 


Summer. 


6Z 


Figs.  65,  66,  and  67. — Regular-made  Dredge,  Broomstick  and 
Old  Chain  Tangle. 


A  Tin-Pail 
Dredge. 

Take  any 
old  tin  bucket, 
knock  the  bot- 
tom out,  and 
attach  a  piece 
of  coffee  sack 
for  a  net.  Tie 
bunches  of 
hemp  to  the 
rim,  fi  r  s  t 
punching- 
holes  for  the 
purpose,  and 
you  will  have 
a  make  -  shift 
dredge  like 
the  one  in  the 
tail-piece  that 
-  only  requires 
a  few  minutes 
to  manufac- 
ture. Even 
with  such  a 
crude  appara- 
tus as  this, 
many  things 
may  be  cap- 
tured for  the 
cabinet  or 
aquarium,  the 


Dredge,  Tangle,  and  Trawl  Fishing.  91 

hempen  tangles  serving  not  only  to  entangle  star-fish,  sea- 
urchins,  and  the  like,  but  in  a  measure  preventing  other  'crea- 
tures that  have  been  scooped  up  by  the  pail  from  making  their 
escape. 

How  to  Make  a  Broomstick  Tangle. 

Saw  off  from  an  old  broom  handle  a  piece  of  stick  about  two 
and  one-half  feet  long  ;  hunt  up  three  or  four  pieces  of  chain 
about  the  size  used  for  large  dog-chains  ;  with  small  iron 
staples  fasten  these  chains  at  intervals  along  the  broomstick. 
Tie  bunches  of  hemp  securely  along  the  chains.  If  vou  have 
no  hemp,  unravel  pieces  of  old  rope  ends  and  tie  them  to  the 
chains  as  in  the  illustration  (Fig.  66).  The  broomstick,  being 
hght,  will  possibly  float  in  spite  of  the  chains.  This  can  only 
be  prevented  by  attaching  weights  to  the  stick. 

If  a  couple  of  iron  wheels  can  be  procured  and  put  upon  the 
ends  of  the  broomstick  they  will  not  only  counteract  the  buoy- 
ancy of  the  stick,  but  will  also,  in  a  measure,  prevent  the  tangle 
from  fouHng  stones  or  other  objects  on  the  bottom. 

In  the  place  of  the  iron  wheels,  simple  weights  of  lead  or 
other  material  may  be  used,  and  instead  of  the  chains,  weighted 
strings  can  be  tied  to  the  stick  and  the  hempen  knots  fastened  to 
them.    Still  another  tangle  can  be  made  of  a  piece  of  old  chain. 

The  Old  Chain  Tangle, 

as  may  be  seen  by  the  illustration  (Fig.  67),  is  simply  a  piece  of 
iron  chain  decorated  with  hempen  tassels  and  occasional  cross- 
sticks.  A  rope  is  attached  to  one  end,  and  by  its  means  the 
tangle  is  hauled  over  the  bottom' to  gather  up  its  load  of  curi- 
osities. 

Hints  and  Suggestions  to  Amateurs. 

If  dredging  from  a  sail-boat,  divide  the  crew  into  two  parties, 
one  to  manage  and  sail  the  boat,  the  other  to  attend  to  the 


92 


Summer. 


casting  and  hauling  of  the  dredge.  It  is  as  necessary  that  the 
boat  be  carefully  managed  as  it  is  that  at  least  one  person's  un- 
divided attention  be  given  to  handling  the  dredge.  The  dredg- 
ing rope  should  be  about  twice  as  long  as  the  water  is  deep. 
A  wooden  reel  or  windlass  attached  to  one  side  of  the  boat 
near  the  stern  will  be  of  very  great  assistance,  especially  when 
the  net  comes  up  filled  with  mud  or  heavy  stones,  as  it  fre- 
quently does  ;  in  which  case,  if  there  be  but  one  boy  to  attend  to 
it  he  will  find  it  no  light  task  to  pull  in  the  line  hand  over  hand. 

A  piece  of  old  oilcloth  or  tarpaulin  will  answer  to  dump  the 
contents  of  the  dredge  upon,  although  a  large  wooden  tray,  or 
"picking-over  board,"  as  it  is  called,  is  much  better.  A  small 
board  of  the  kind  intended  for  a  row-boat  is  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration at  the  head  of  this  chapter. 

Common  glass  preserve  jars,  or  wide-mouthed  bottles,  make 
excellent  receptacles  for  living  specimens.  A  convenient  rack 
for  carrying  these  easily  and  safely  may  be  made  from  any 
wooden  box,  by  nailing  laths  or  slats  across  the  top  from  end 
to  end  and  side  to  side,  making  the  squares  thus  formed  just 
large  enough  to  hold  the  jars  or  bottles  in  an  upright  position. 

The  sail-boat  is  best  for  long  excursions,  but  for  a  short  trip 
a  row-boat  is  preferable,  it  being  more  readily  handled  and  in- 
dependent of  the  wind. 

Although  a  dredge  without  tangles  will  bring  up  many 
curious  and  interesting  objects,  the  specimens  are  apt  to  be 
confined  to  the  mollusca  or  shell-fish,  mixed,  of  course,  with  all 
manner  of  rubbish. 

If  properly  managed,  the  pouch,  when  it  reaches  the  surface, 
will  be  about  half  full.  After  it  has  been  emptied  upon  the 
picking-over"  board,  the  mud  and  sand  may  be  washed  away 
by  pouring  water  over  the  mass.  Although  not  absolutely  neces- 
sary, a  large  sieve  is  a  desirable  addition  to  the  dredger's  outfit, 
and  furnishes  valuable  assistance  when  the  mud  or  sand  is  to  be 


Dredge,  Tangle,  and  Trawl  Fishing,  93 


searched  for  minute  objects.  Some  dredgers  use  a  -  nest  of 
sieves,"  so  arranged  that  the  strainers,  four  in  number,  fit  freely 
within  one  another.  The  top 
sieve  is  of  course  smaller  than  the 
others,  but  the  meshes  are  larger 
The  second  sieve  is  a  little  larger, 
with  finer  meshes.  The  third  is 
still  larger,  with  a  much  finer 
mesh,  and  the  fourth,  the  largest 
sieve  of  the  lot,  has  a  mesh  so 
close  as  only  to  allow  the  finest 
sand  or  mud  to  pass  through. 
The  contents  of  a  dredge  when 

filtered   through    a   ''nest    of     ^^^^^^^^Bi  ^leU 
sieves  "  is  divided  up  into  a  grad-  ^ 
uated  series,  the  largest  objects  §^ 
at  the  top  and  the  smallest  at  the 
bottom.    Mr.  Emerton,  in  his 
Life   on   the  Seashore,"  de- 
scribes a  sieve  for  hanging  over 
the  side  of  a  boat     in  the  shape 
of  a  half  cylinder,"  the  bottom 
being  made  of  strong  wire  ;  but, 
as  before  remarked,  sieves  are 
not  absolutely  necessary,  and 
may  be   dispensed  with  when  ^s.— The  Trawl, 

the  object  is  only  a  day's  fun  with  the  curiosities  of  the  sea. 

The  Use  of  the  Tangle. 

Partially  buried  in  the  mud  of  the  bottom  are  to  be  found 
many  pretty  corals,  queer  and  curious  sponges,  and  those  funny 
animals  called  sea-cucumbers.    The  dredge  may  skip  these 
but  the  hempen  tangles,.when  they  sweep  the  bottom,  catch  all 


94 


Stmmier. 


such  rough  or  irregular  objects  and  bring  them  to  the  surface, 
along  with  a  miscellaneous  assortment  of  star-fish,  sea-urchins, 
crabs,  shrimps,  and  hundreds  of  other  creatures. 

Wyville  Thomson,  in  his  interesting  account  of  the  dredging 
cruise  of  the  Porcupine  and  Lightning,  mentions  one  haul  when 
the  tangles  contained  not  fewer  than  20,000  sea-urchins,  which 
"were  warped  through  and  through  the  hempen  fibres  and 
actually  filled  the  tangles;  and,"  adds  Mr.  Thomson,  "they 
hung  for  days  round  the  bulwarks  like  nets  of  pickling  onions 
in  a  green-grocer's  shop."  At  times  the  tangle,  when  it  comes 
to  the  surface,  is  completely  covered  with  curious  little  shrimp- 
like creatures  called  Caprellas.  Indeed,  so  many  surprises  await 
the  dredger  and  tend  to  keep  up  the  excitement,  that  this  new 
sport  cannot  fail  to  interest  and  delight  all  who  participate  in 
it ;  and  when  the  young  dredgers  return  home  they  need  not 
do  so  empty-handed,  but  may,  if  they  choose,  bring  curiosities 
from  the  bottom  of  the  sea  that  will  not  only  astonish  their 
parents,  but  most  likely  puzzle  their  teachers  and  professors. 

Under  the  head  of  TAXIDERMY,  among  the  autumn  sports, 
will  be  found  some  hints  which  will  aid  the  reader  in  preserv- 
ing marine  specimens  for  the  cabinet  or  for  future  study. 


Tin- Pail  Dredge. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


HOME-MADE  BOATS. 

Birth   of  the    -Man-Friday"    Catamaran. -The  Crusoe 

Raft. 

Not  so  very  many  years  ago  I  remember  visiting,  in  com- 
pany with  my  cousin  Tom,  a  small  lake  at  the  head  waters  of 
the  Miami.  High  and  precipitous  cliffs  surround  the  little  body 
of  water.  So  steep  were  the  great  weather-beaten  rocks  that  it 
was  only  where  the  stream  came  tumbling  down  past  an  old 
mill  that  an  accessible  path  then  existed.  Down  that  path 
Tom  and  I  scrambled,  for  we  knew  that  large  bass  lurked  in 
the  deep,  black  holes  among  the  rocks. 

We  had  no  jointed  spHt  bamboo  rods  nor  fancy  tackle,  but 
the  fish  there  in  those  days  were  not  particular  and  seldom 
^  hesitated  to  bite  at  an  angle-worm  or  grasshopper,  though  the 
hook  upon  which  the  bait  squirmed  was  suspended  by  a  coarse 
line  from  a  freshly  cut  hickory  sapling. 

Even  now  I  feel  the  thrill  of  excitement  and  expectancy  as, 
in  imagination,  my  pole  is  bent  nearly  double  by  the  frantic 
struggles  of  those  -  gamy"  black  bass.  After  spending  the 
morning  fishing  we  built  a  fire  upon  a  short  stretch  of  sandy 
beach,  and  cleaning  our  fish  and  washing  them  in  the  spring 
close  at  hand,  we  put  them  among  the  embers  to  cook. 

While  the  fire  was  getting  our  dinner  ready  for  us  we  threw 
off  our  clothes  and  plunged  into  the  cool  waters  of  the  lake. 
Inexpert  swimmers  as  we  were  at  that  time,  the  opposite  shore* 
though  apparently  only  a  stone's-throw  distant,  was  too  far  off 


96 


Summer. 


for  us  to  reach  by  swimming.  Many  a  longing  and  curious 
glance  we  cast  toward  it,  however,  and  strong  was  the  tempta- 
tion that  beset  us  to  try  the  unknown  depths  intervening.  A 
,pair  of  brown  ears  appeared  above  the  ferns  near  the  water's 
ledge,  and  a  fox  peeped  at  us;  squirrels  ran  about  the  fallen 
'trunks  of  trees  or  scampered  up  the  rocks  as  saucily  as  though 
they  understood  that  we  could  not  swim  well  enough  to  reach 
their  side  of  the  lake  ;  and  high  up  the  face  of  the  cliff  was  a 
dark  spot  which  we  almost  knew  to  be  the  entrance  to  some 
mysterious  cavern. 

How  we  longed  for  a  boat !  But  not  even  a  raft  nor  a  dug- 
out could  be  seen  anywhere  upon  the  glassy  surface  of  the 
water  or  along  its  reedy  border.  We  nevertheless  determined 
to  explore  the  lake  next  day,  even  if  we  should  have  to  paddle 
astride  of  a  log.  ^ 

The  first  rays  of  the  morning  sun  had  not  reached  the  dark 
waters  before  my  companion  and  I  were  hard  at  work,  with  axe 
and  hatchet,  chopping  in  twain  a  long  log  we  had  discovered  near 
the  mill.    We  had  at  first  intended  to  build  a  raft ;  but  grad- 
ually we  evolved  a  sort  of  catamaran.    The  two  pieces  of  log 
we  sharpened  at  the  ends  for  the  bow  ;  then  we  rolled  the  logs 
down  upon  the  beach,  and,  while  I  went  into  the  thicket  to 
chop  down  some  saplings,  my  companion  borrowed  an  auger 
from  the  miller.    We  next  placed  the  logs  about  three  feet 
apart,  and  marking  the  points  where  we  intended  to  put  the 
cross-pieces,  we  cut  notches  there;  then  we  placed  the  saplings 
across,  fitting  them  into  these  notches.    To  hold  them  securely 
we  bored  holes  down  through  the  sapling  cross-pieces  into  the 
logs  ;  with  the  hatchet  we  hammered  wooden  pegs  into  these 
holes.    For  the  seat  we  used  the  half  of  a  section  of  log,  the  flat 
side  fitting  into  places  cut  for  that  purpose.    All  that  remained 
to  be  done  now  was  to  make  a  seat  in  the  stern  and  a  pair  of 
rowlocks.    At  a  proper  distance  from  the  oarsman's  seat  we 


Home-Made  Boats.  ^ 


bored  two  holes  for  a  couple  of  forked  sticks,  which  answered 
admirably  for  rowlocks;  across  the  stern  we  fastened  another 
piece  of  log,  similar  to  that  used  for  the  oarsman's  seat.  With 
the  help  of  a  man  from  the  mill  our  craft  was  launched  •  and 


The  Man-Friday. 

with  a  pair  of  oars  made  of  old  pine  boards  we  rowed  off  leav- 
ing the  miller  waving  his  hat. 

Our  catamaran  was  not  so  light  as  a  row-boat,  but  it  floated 
and  we  could  propel  it  with  the  oars,  and,  best  of  all,  it  was  our 
own  invention  and  made  with  our  own  hands.  We  called  it  a 
Man-Friday  and  by  its  means  we  explored  every  nook  in 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  lake  ;  and  ever  afterward  when 
we  wanted  a  boat  we  knew  a  simple  and  inexpensive  way  to 
make  one— and  a  safe  one,  too. 


The  Crusoe  Raft, 

than  the  Man-Friday."  Instead  of  being  able  to  float  only 
one  or  two  passengers,  the  "  Crusoe,"  if  properly  built,  ought 
to  accommodate  a  considerable  party  of  raftsmen  Of  cout-se 
the  purpose  for  which  the  raft  is  to  be  used,  and  the  number  of 


98 


Su7nmer. 


the  crew  that  is  expected  to  man  it,  must  be  taken  into  consid- 
eration when  deciding  upon  the  dimensions  of  the  proposed 
craft. 

All  the  tools  that  are  necessary  for  the  construction  of  a 

good  stout  raft  are  an  axe,  an 
auger,  and  a  hatchet,  with  some 
strong  boys  to  wield  them. 

The  building  material  can 
be  gathered  upon  any  wooded 
bank  of  lake  or  stream. 

For  a  moderate  sized  raft 
collect  six  or  seven  logs,  the 
longest  not  being  over  sixteen 
feet  in  length,  nor  more  than  a 
foot  in  diameter  ;  the  logs  must 
be  tolerably  straight.  Pick  out 
the  longest  and  biggest  for  the 
centre  ;  sharpen  one  end  ;  roll 
the  log  into  the  water  and  there 
secure  it. 

Select  two  logs  as  nearly 
alike  as  possible,  to  lie  one  at 
each  side   of  the  centre  log. 
Measure  the  centre  log,  and 
make  the  point  of  each  side  log, 
not  at  its  own  centre,  but  at 
'  that  side  of  it  which  wiU  lie 
against  the  middle  log,  so  that 
Fig.  69.— Plan  of  Crusoe  Raft.         this  side-point  shall  terminate 
where  the  pointing  of  the  middle  log  begins.    (See  Fig.  69.) 

After  all  the  logs  needed  have  been  trimmed  and  sharpened 
in  the  manner  just  described,  roll  them  into  the  water  and  ar- 
range them  in  order  (Fig.  69).    Fasten  them  together  with 


Home-Made  Boats. 


99 


cross-strips,"  boring  holes  through  the  strips  to  correspond 
with  holes  bored  into  the  logs  lying  beneath,  and  through  these 
holes  drive  wooden  pegs.  The  water  will  cause  the  pegs  to 
swell,  and  they  will  hold  much  more  firmly  than  iron  nails. 

The  skeleton  of  the  cabin  can  be  made  of  saplings  ;  such  as 
are  used  for  hoop-poles  are  the  best. 

These  are  each  bent  into  an  arch,  and  the  ends  are  thrust 
mto  holes  bored  for  that  purpose.  Over  this  hooping  a  piece 
of  canvas  is  stretched,  after  the  manner  of  old-fashioned  coun- 
try wagons  (Figs.  70  and  71). 


Fig.  7o.~Skeleton  of  Crusoe  Raft. 

^  Erect  a  -  jack-staff,"  to  be  used  as  a  flag-pole  or  a  mast  to 
rig  a  square  sail  on. 

A  stout  stick  should  be  erected  at  the  stern,  and  a  similar 
one  upon  each  side  of  the  raft  near  the  bow  ;  these  sticks,  when 
their  ends  are  made  smaller,  as  shown  in  the  illustration  (Fi^ 
70),  serve  as  rowlocks. 


lOO 


Sumjner. 


For  oars  use  sweeps  "—long  poles,  each  with  a  piece  of 
board  for  a  blade  fastened  at  one  end  (Fig.  72). 

Holes  must  be  bored  through  the  poles  of  the  sweeps  about 


Fig.  71.— Crusoe  with  Cabin  Covered. 


three  feet  from  the  handle,  to  slip  over  the  pegs  used  as  row- 
locks, as  described  above.    These  pegs  should  be  high  enough 
to  allow  the  oarsman  to  stand  while  using  the  sweeps. 
A  flat  stone  placed  at  the  bow  will  serve  as  a  fireplace. 


Fig.  72. — Sweeps. 


If  the  cracks  between  the  logs  under  the  cabin  are  filled  up 
to  prevent  the  water  splashing  through,  and  the  cabin  is  floored 


Home-Made  Boats. 


lOI 


with  cross-sticks,  a  most  comfortable  bed  at  niglit  can  be  made 
of  hay  by  heaping  it  under  the  canvas  cover  in  sufficient  quan- 
titles.  ^ 

The  "  Crusoe  "  raft  has  this  great  advantage  over  all  boats  • 
you  may  take  a  long  trip  down  the  river,  allowing  the  current 
to  bear  you  along,  using  the  sweeps  only  to  assist  the  man  at 
the  helm  (rear  sweep);  then,  after  your  excursion  is  finished, 
you  can  abandon  the  raft  and  return  by  steamboat  or  cars. 

The  Scow. 

There  can  be  but  few  boys  who  are  not  familiar  with  that 
large  and  useful  tribe  of  flat-bottomed,  perpendicular-sided 
boa  s  called  -'scows."  These  crafts  are  used  as  coal  barges, 
hghters,  flat-boats,  sail-boats,  and  row-boats;  but  it  is  only  to 
the  construction  of  the  last  named  class  that  this  chapter  will 
be  devoted. 

To  build  a  scow-shaped  row-boat  is  not  a  difficult  feat,  even 
for  a  boy  ;  and  when  it  is  finished  he  will  find  it  to  be  a  very 
convenient  boat,  roomy,  and  not  hard  to  row. 

The  material  necessary  consists  of  eight  or  ten  three-quarter- 
mch  pme  boards,  one  one-inch  board,  some  fivepenny  nails,  and 
about  a  half  pound  of  wrought-iron  nails  of  the  same  size  a  the 
ones  just  mentioned. 

A  saw,  a  plane,  and  a  sharp  hatchet  are  requisite  in  the  way 
of  tools  Other  tools,  if  not  absolutely  necessary,  should  not 
on  that  account  be  ignored,  as  they  may  come  in  very  handy 
at  times.  ^ 

When  selecting  the  lumber  for  the  boat,  pick  out  those 
p.eces  wh.ch  are  free  from  large  knots  and  other  blemishes. 
Reserve  two  of  the  best  boards  for  the  sides,  and  let  them  meas- 
ure II  feet  m  length  and  12  inches  in  width  when  trimmed 
Measunng  toward  the  centre,  mark  a  point  2^  feet  from  each 
end  of  one  of  the  side  boards  upon  the  edge  selected  for 


I02 


Summer. 


the  bottom.  Measuring  from  the  bottom  edge  toward  the 
top,  mark  a  point  upon  each  end  8  inches  from  the  bottom. 
Saw  off  the  triangular  pieces  between  these  points  (Fig.  73). 
Round  off  the  angles  with  a  plane,  and  make  the  other  side 
board  an  exact  duplicate  of  the  one  just  described  (Fig.  74). 


Fig.  73. — Side  Board. 


For  the  ends  of  the  boat  use  the  i^-inch  plank,  making  of 
it  two  small  boards  to  fit  between  the  ends  of  the  side  boards. 

The  side  pieces  now  measure  4  inches  upon  each  end 
(Fig.  73),  hence  the  end  boards  ought  to  be  4  inches  wide  ; 
but  to  make  sure  of  neat  joints,  it  is  best  to  allow  inch  extra. 
Make  the  end  pieces  3  feet  long,  4>^  inches  wide,  and  i  inch 
thick.  Set  the  side  pieces  parallel  to  each  other  upon  their 
straight  or  top  edges,  and  between  their  ends  fit  the  end  boards 
(Fig.  74).  After  seeing  that  all  the  corners  are  square,  nail  the 
end  boards  in  place.  Plane  off  the  protruding  edges  at  the  bow 
and  stern,  so  that  the  bottom  pieces  overlapping  them  will 
make  close  joints  ;  then  nail  the  bottom  boards  on  crosswise,  as 


Fig.  74. 

shown  in  the  illustration  (Fig.  75).  All  nails  must  be  driven  in 
so  that  their  heads  are  below  the  surface  of  the  board,  or  as  car- 
penters call  it,  countersunk,  and  the  indentations  made  should 
be  puttied  up. 

Turn  the  scow  over,  and  upon  the  inside,  at  the  middle  of  the 


Home-Made  Boats. 


103 


bottom,  nail  a  ^-inch  long  bottom  board  (Figs.  76  and  77) 
Next  cut  two  small  boards  of  ^-inch  plank ;  make  them  7  inches 
wide  and  about  i  foot  5  inches  long ;  cut  out  a  place  in  one 
end  of  each,  as  shown  by  A,  Fig.  76  ;  these  are  to  serve  as  row- 


locks, and  should  be  nailed  with  wrought-iron  nails  to  the  inside 
of  the  boat,  so  that  the  centres  of  the  rowlocks  are  about  4  feet 
10  inches  from  the  end  which  will  be  the  stern  of  the  boat  •  this 
is  the  simplest  style  of  rowlock,  but  a  much  neater  one  can  be 
made  by  using  thole-pins  (Fig.  77,  B). 

Turn  the  boat  upon  its  side  and  nail  a  strip  11  feet  long  2 
inches  wide,  and  i  inch  thick  upon  the  upper  edge  of  the  side 
board  ;  repeat  the  operation  on  the  other  side,  using  wrought 
nails  and  clinching  them.    If  thole-pins  are  intended  to  be  used 


Fig.  76 


before  naiHng  the  strips  upon  the  sides,  4  feet  9  inches  from 
one  end  of  each  strip  cut  a  notch  in  the  side  %  inch  deep 
and  wide  ;  3  inches  from  this  notch,  or  5  feet  from  the  same 
end,  cut  another  similar  notch.   When  these  strips  are  nailed  on 


I04 


Summer, 


the  sides  (Fig.  77)  the  notches  cut  in  them  form  the  rowlocks. 
Put  in  more  nails  near  the  rowlocks  than  elsewhere,  to  help  to 
withstand  the  greater  strain  that  that  part  has  to  bear.  The 
end  of  the  boat  nearest  the  rowlocks  is  the  stern.  Of  oak  or 
some  hard  wood  make  four  thole-pins  to  fit  into  the  rowlocks 

(Fig.  77,  B).  , 

For  a  seat  use  a  board  about  i  foot  wide  ;  it  should  be  3 
feet  long  to  fit  inside  the  boat  ;  the  seat  rests  upon  two  cleats 


Fig.  77- 


set  6  inches  below  the  top  of  the  side  boards  (Fig.  77)  ;  the  aft 
edge  of  the  seat  should  be  about  i  foot  forward  of  the  row- 
locks. 

A  bow  and  stern  seat  should  be  made  for  passengers  ;  these 
seats  need  not  set  so  low  as  the  one  occupied  by  the  oarsman, 
and  may  be  made  of  boards  nailed  across  the  top  of  the  boat 
at  the  bow  and  stern,  and  the  space  underneath  them  may  be 
used  for  lockers. 

If  a  chain  "painter"  is  used,  fasten  it  to  the  bow  with  an 
iron  staple  (Fig.  76) ;  but  if  a  rope  is  preferred,  or  is  more 
easily  obtained,  run  one  end  of  it  through  a  hole  bored  for  the 
purpose  in  the  bow  seat,  and  knot  the  end  so  that  it  cannot 
slip  out  (Fig.  77).    When  such  a  boat  is  built  with  clean,  close- 


Home- Made  Boats.  105 


fitting  joints,  and  the  cracks  daubed  with  thick  paint  it  is  often 
unnecessary  to  do  any  further  caulking.     A  good  method  is 
to  saturate  pieces  of  woollen  cloth  with  paint  and  place  them 
between  the  different  parts  before  they  are  joined.    After  the 
carpenter  work  is  done,  go  to  the  paint  shop  and  get  a  can  of 
white  paint,  first  telling  the  painter  to  weigh  the  can  After 
you  have  used  what  paint  is  necessary,  return  the  can  have  it 
weighed,  and  pay  only  for  the  amount  used.    If  you  are  well 
known  the  painter  will  not  hesitate  to  allow  you  to  do  this,  and 
you  will  find  it  the  most  economical  way.     After  the  first  coat 
of  paint  IS  dry  put  on  a  second  coat ;  as  soon  as  that  is  hard- 
ened which  will  be  in  two  or  three  days,  according  to  the 
weather,  your  boat  is  ready  for  launching  ;  it  may  leak  at  first, 

in"idl  ^''''^  ''^  P«'''"'=<^tly  dry 

A  Floating  Camp,  or  the  Boy's  Own  Fiat-Boat. 

■I'T^Tl        ^^'^"t'^"y  '"'^"d  craft,  having  their  origin 
with  the  birth  of  trade  in  the  West  before  the  puffing  and  pant- 
ing steam-boats  plowed  their  way  through  the  turbid  waters 
of  Western  rivers.    They  are  craft  that  can  be  used  on  any 
stream  large  enough  to  float  a  yawl,  but  the  St.  John's  River 
Florida,  IS  perhaps  the  most  tempting  stream  for  the  amateur 
flat-boatman.    The  numerous  inlets  and  lakes  connected  with 
the  river,  the  luxuriant  semi-tropical  foliage  on  the  banks  the 
strange-looking  fish  and  great,  stupid  alligators,  the  beautiful 
white  herons  and  hundreds  of  water-fowl  of  many  descriptions 
-all  form  features  that  add  interest  to  its  navigation  and 
inducements  to  hunters,  fishermen,  naturahsts,  and  pleasure- 
seekers  scarcely  equalled  by  any  other  accessible  river  of  the 
United  States. 

To  build  the  hull  of  the  flat-boat,  use  pine  lumber.  For 
the  sides  select  two  good,  straight  2-inch  planks,  14  feet  long 


io6  Summer. 


and  about  i6  inches  wide.  Take  one  of  the  planks  (Fig.  78), 
measure  6  inches  from  the  top  upon  each  end,  and  mark 
the  points  A,  a  (Fig.  78)  ;  then  upon  the  bottom  measure  from 
each  end  toward  the  centre  2  feet,  and  mark  the  points  B,  b 
(Fig.  78).    Saw  off  the  corners  A,  B  and  a,  b,  and  round  the 


Fig.  78. 


angles  in  the  manner  described  on  page  102  and  illustrated  by 
Fig.  74.  Next  take  two  2-inch  planks,  61^  inches  wide  and  6 
feet  long,  for  the  stem  and  stern  ;  set  the  side  pieces  on  edge 
upside  down,  and  nail  on  the  two  end  pieces  (see  Fig.  79)- 
Then,  allowing  4  inches— the  thickness  of  the  two  sides— there 
will  be  a  space  inside  the  boat  of  5  feet  8  inches.  Take  three 
pieces  of  scantling  about  3  inches  thick  and  5  feet  8  inches 
long  ;  place  one  near  the  end  flush  with  the  bottom  of  the  boat 
just  where  the  sheer  of  bow  and  stern  begins  (see  A  and  B,  Fig. 
79).  After  fitting  them  carefully,  nail  them  firmly.  Nail  the 
other  piece  of  scantHng  in  place  at  the  point  C  (Fig.  79),  so 


Fig.  79. 

that  it  will  measure  6  feet  from  the  outside  of  the  brace  A  to 
the  outside  of  the  brace  C.  Plane  off  the  protruding  edges  of 
the  bow  and  stern. 

A  bottom  may  now  be  put  on  as  described  on  page  102 
and  illustrated  by  Fig.  75,  or  a  regular  flat-boat  bottom  can 
be  made  by  selecting  good,  straight  >^-inch  lumber  a  little  over 
14  feet  long,  to  allow  for  the  curve. 

Nail  an  end  of  one  of  the  bottom  boards  to  the  stern  board 


Home-Made  Boats. 


(see  Fig.  80) ;  its  side  edge  must  be  flush  with  the  outer  edge 
of  the  side  piece.  Bend  the  bottom  board  carefully  along  the 
curve  to  the  first  cross  piece  A  (Fig.  80)  and  nail  it  firmly  • 
nail  It  again  at  C  and  at  the  bow,  being  careful  to  make  it  con- 
form to  the  curve  of  the  sides.  Follow  the  same  plan  with  the 
next  board,  keeping  it  close  up  against  the  first  board  so  as  to 


Fig.  80. 


leave  no  crack  when  the  bottom  is  finished.  Caulk  up  any 
accidental  cracks  with  oakum  ;  give  the  whole  hull  a  coating  of 
coal  tar,  and  allow  it  to  harden.  The  remainder  of  the  work  is 
comparatively  easy. 

After  the  coal  tar  has  hardened,  turn  the  boat  over  and 
erect  four  posts,  one  at  each  end  of  the  cross  piece  A  and  one 
at  each  end  of  the  cross  piece  C  (Fig.  79  or  80). 

The  tops  of  the  posts  for  this  size  boat  should  be  about 
feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  hull.  Put  a  cross  piece  on 
the  top  of  the  post  at  A  and  another  at  C,  and  the  frame- 
work of  your  cabin  is  done.  It  may  now  be  covered  with  can- 
vas, or,  as  in  the  illustrations,  with  thin  planks,  in  which  case 
make  the  roof  of  3^-inch  boards,  bending  them  in  an  arch  so 
that  the  middle  will  rise  about  one  foot  higher  than  the  sides. 

The  eaves  should  overhang  about  six  inches  beyond  the 
cabin  upon  each  side. 

Board  up  the  sides  with  the  same  material  used  for  the  roof- 
ing, leaving  openings  for  windows  and  doors.  Pieces  of  shoe 
leather  make  very  good  hinges  for  the  door,  but  iron  hinges 
are  of  course  the  best.    The  cabin  can  then  be  floored,  a  bunk 


io8 


Summer. 


or  two  may  be  built,  and  as  many  other  conveniences  as  your 
taste  or  necessities  may  indicate,  can  be  provided  ;  a  few  clothes- 
hooks,  etc. 

Put  in  rowlocks  ;  those  used  in  the  Crusoe  raft  are  best  for 
large  flat-boats,  but  for  this  one  make  rowlocks  on  the  same 
plan  as  the  ones  illustrated  by  Fig.  76,  A  (page  103).  There 
should  be  three  rowlocks,  one  for  the  steering  oar  and  two  near 
the  front  for  rowing  (see  Fig.  81). 


3  ■<■  »  8  7  8  ft  IP  ,1  11         n  14 

aCAl-E  OF  FSBT^ 


Fig.  81.— Side  View  of  Fiat-Boat. 

Set  a  seat  in  front  of  the  rowlock  with  a  hole  in  it  for  the 
jack-staff '*  to  pass  through.  The  jack-staff  should  be  made 
so  that  it  can  be  taken  out  and  put  in  at  pleasure.  This  can 
be  done  by  making  a  simple  socket  underneath  the  seat  for  the 
end  of  the  staff  to  fit  in. 

The  flat-boat  is  now  ready  to  be  launched,  which  should  be 
done  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  Fig.  81  shows  the  side 
view  of  a  14-foot  flat-boat ;  the  cabin,  to  better  show  its  con- 
struction, is  increased  in  height  in  the  drawing,  and,  according 


Home-Made  Boats. 


109 


to  the  scale,  it  measures  about  five  feet  at  the  sides  and  six  feet 

at  the  ridge-pole.    Fig.  82  shows  a  front  view  of  the  same. 
Fig.  83  shows  a  top  view  of 

a  flat-boat  as  it  would  appear 

looking  down  upon  the  roof  of 

the  cabin. 

The   large    diagram  (Fig. 

84)  drawn  in  perspective  shows 

how  a  cabin  for  a  little  larger 
boat  can  be  arranged.  The  dia- 
gram is  drawn  on  the  scale  of 
feet  marked  below  it.  The  floor 
is  about  six  feet  long  by  six  feet 
wide,  and  the  side  walls  are  five 
feet  high.  A  cabin  of  these  di- 
mensions can  be  arranged  with 

four    folding    berths,    two    upon        F^^.  82.— Front  View  of  Fiat-Boat. 

each  side,  made  of  boards  each  two  feet  wide  and  fastened  to 
the  sides  by  hinges.  The  top  berths  may  be  supported  by 
their  hinges  and  a  cross  beam  upon  the  inside,  and  by  two  broad 


Water 


Fig.  83.— Top  View  of  Fiat-Boat. 

Straps  upon  the  outside  ;  the  straps  button  on  to  knobs  in  the 
ends  of  the  berths.    The  lower  berths  can  be  provided  with 


no 


Summer. 


folding  legs,  as  shown  by  the  illustration  (Fig.  84),  which  shows 
two  berths  down  on  the  left-hand  side  and  two  folded  up  on 
the  right-hand  side.  The  lockers  underneath  the  bottom  berths 
can  be  used  for  storing  away  bed-clothes. 

In  the  rear,  under  a  looking-glass,  can  be  seen  a  device  for 
a  folding  cfesk,  which  is  simply  a  square  board  attached  to 


Fig.  84. — Perspective  View  of  Interior  of  a  Cabin. 


the  wall,  like  the  berths,  by  hinges,  and  which  may  be  let 
down  so  as  to  hang  flat  against  the  wall,  out  of  the  way  when 
the  berths  are  to  be  used.  The  legs  to  the  desk  are  hinged 
at  the  bottom,  and  as  the  desk  is  raised  the  legs  fall  for- 
ward, resting  against  the  cleat  upon  the  bottom  of  the  top 


Home-Made  Boats. 


1 1 1 


board,  which  holds  it  in  the  position  shown  by  the  diagram. 
Many  other  little  conveniences  may  be  added,  such  as  a  small 
cooking-stove,  book-shelves,  gun-racks,  etc.,  but  I  shall  not  go 
into  further  details,  my  aim  being  only  to  suggest  how  it  may 
be  done,  as  every  boy  who  is  smart  enough  to  build  a  flat-boat 
will  have  his  own  peculiar  ideas  about  the  manner  in  which  it 
should  be  fitted  up  inside.    The  interior  construction  depends, 
m  a  measure,  upon  the  number  of  persons  who  are  to  occupy 
the  cabin,  and  whether  it  is  to  be  used  by  a  party  of  young 
naturahsts  upon  a  collecting  tour,  or  for  fishing  and  shooting  ex- 
cursions, or  simply  as  a  sort  of  picnic  boat  for  a  few  days'  en- 
joyment, such  as  most  boys  in  the  country  are  quite  well  able 
to  plan  and  carry  out  unaided. 

Although  a  rude  home-made  flat-boat  does  not  possess 
speed,  yet  with  a  square  sail  rigged  on  the  jack-stafl",  and  with 
a  good  wind  over  the  stern,  it  will  make  good  time ;  and  as 
this  sort  of  craft  draws  only  a  few  inches  of  water,  it  can  float 
in  creeks  and  inlets  where  a  well-loaded  row-boat  would  dra^ 
bottom.  ^ 

The  advantages  of  a  flat-boat  consist  in  the  fact  that  it  is  a 
comfortable,  cosey  little  house  in  which  one  could  spend  a 
month  very  pleasantly  hunting  or  fishing,  or  visiting  the  various 
points  of  interest  along  the  shores  of  the  river  and  inlets,  and 
whenever  the  floating  home  drifts  in  sight  of  a  pleasant  place 
to  stop,  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  make  fast  to  the  bank,  thus 
escaping  the  nuisance  of  moving  bag  and  baggage. 

During  a  cruise  the  members  of  the  party  will  have  frequent 
occasion  to  put  in  practice  all  manner  of  devices  for  saving 
labor,  and  making  the  hunter  as  far  as  possible  independent  of 
a  mate  when,  as  often  happens,  two  boys  cannot  be  spared 
from  the  boat  to  go  foraging  together.  One  of  these  -  wrin- 
kles," as  they  are  termed,  is  a  floating  fish-car,  adapted  for 
minnows  or  large  fish,  which  being  fastened  to  the  fisherman's 


112 


Summer. 


waist,  floats  behind  as  he  wades.  This  arrangement  not  only 
saves'  much  weariness  in  carrying  finny  spoils  to  camp  after, 


Home- Made  Boats.  113 


Many  hmts  of  this  same  kind  might  be  given,  but  this  one 
w,  I  suffice  to  show  that  a  boy  with  his  wits  about  him  can 
hghten  very  materially  the  fatigues  inseparable  from  camping 
out  and  flat-boating.  Endurance  of  hardship  is  noble  in  itself 
and  there  is  call  enough  for  it  in  this  rough-and-tumble  world  ' 
but  the  fellow  who  most  enjoys  "  roughing  it  "  in  a  trip  out- 
doors IS  he  who  is  quickest  to  save  himself  unnecessary  exer- 
tion by  usmg  the  simplest  means  at  hand. 


The  Yankee  Pine. 

From  the  sawmills  away  up  among  the  tributaries  of  the  Ohio 
River  come  floating  down  to  the  towns  along  the  shore  great 
raf  s  of  pme  lumber.  These  rafts  are  always  objects  of  interest 
to  the  boys,  for  the  youngsters  know  that  when  moored  to  the 
shore  the  solidly  packed  planks  make  a  splendid  platform  to 
ZTJT'  /  ^P""gi"g-boards  can  be  made  of  the  project- 
ing blades  of  the  gigantic  sweeps  which  are  used  to  guide  the 
mammoth  rafts,  and,  somewhere  aboard,  there  is  always  to  be 

was  dubbed  with  such  a  peculiar  name  I  am  unable  to  state- 

awi  r   .^°r'  ^  '°  "P  carteJ 

away    o  the  lumber  yards  there  is,  or  always  used  to  be  a 

good,  light  skiff  to  be  had  cheap. 

However  all  boys  do  not  live  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and 
If  they  did  there  would  hardly  be  "Yankee  Pines"  enough  to 
go  round  ;  so  we  will  at  once  proceed  to  see  how  to  build  one 
for  ourselves.  Although  my  readers  may  find  the  "  Yankee 
Fine  a  httle  more  difficult  to  build  than  the  blunt-ended  flat- 
bottomed  scow,  it  really  is  a  comparatively  simple  piece  of  work 
tor  boys  familiar  with  the  use  of  carpenters'  tools 

irJr       ''''^  tT^^  straight.grained  pine  boards 

free  from  knots.  These  boards  should  be  about  13  or  14  feetlong. 


114 


Summer. 


a  couple  of  inches  over  a  foot  in  width,  and  as  nearly  alike 
as  possible  in  texture.  Besides  these,  there  should  be  in  the 
neighborhood  of  a  dozen  other  ^-inch  planks,  an  inch  or  two 
over  a  half  foot  in  width.     A  small  piece  of  2-inch  plank  for 


Fig.  8s. 

the  stern  piece  is  also  necessary.  Upon  the  bottom  edge  of 
the  side  board  measure  off  from  each  end  toward  the  centre  4 
inches,  mark  the  points,  and  saw  off  the  corners  shown  by  the 
dotted  line  in  Fig.  85.  Next  take  a  piece  of  board  4  feet  long 
and  a  foot  wide,  saw  off  the  corners  as  you  did  on  the  side 
board,  making  it  4  feet  on  the  top  and  3  feet  4  inches  on 
the  bottom.  This  board  is  to  be  used  only  as  a  centre  brace 
while  modeUing  the  boat. 

Out  of  the  2-inch  plank  make  a  stern  piece  of  the  same 
shape  as  the  centre  brace  ;  let  it  be  i  foot  wide,  14  inches  long 
on  the  bottom,  and  20  inches  long  on  top.  Set  the  side  boards 
on  their  shorter  or  bottom  edges,  and  place  the  centre  brace  in 
the  middle,  as  shown  by  Fig.  86  ;  nail  the  side  boards  to  it,  using 


Fig.  86. 


only  enough  nails  to  hold  temporarily.  Draw  the  side  boards 
together  at  the  bow,  and  against  the  stern  board  at  the  stern 
(Fig.  86).  Hold  the  side  pieces  in  position  by  the  means  of 
ropes.    A  stem  should  be  ready  to  fix  in  the  bow  (Fig.  87). 


Ho7ne-Made  Boats, 


This  had  better  be  a  few  inches  longer  than  the  sides  are  broad 

Male  1  '  %  is  fitted! 

Make  the  stem  of  a  triangular  piece  of  timber,  by  planing  off 
the  front  edge  until  a  flat  sur-  ^ 
face  about  ^  inch  broad  is  <f^^^^^^^^~==\ 
obtained  ;  2  inches  from  the 

front,  upon  each  side,  cut  a  ^7-  ~ 

groove  just  the  thickness  of  the  side  boards  (3/  inch)  Trim 
the  stem  so  that  the  side  pieces  at  the  boJl  the  grolve" 

Turn  the  boat  upside  down,  and  it  will  be  discovered  that 
he  outhnes  of  the  bottom  form  an  arch  from  stem  to  stern  If 
left  in  this  shape  the  boat  will  sink  too  deep  amidships 
Remedy  the  defect  by  planing  the  bottom  edge  of  both  Jde 
pieces,  reducing  the  convex  form  to  straight  lines  in  the  middle 

ml  ^  °"  '°  '''''''  ''"'^"1-  time 

will  make  the  central  part  of  the  bottom  flat,  and  by  having  less 

Ltrn'b  "'^"^^      ^^^'^^  *°  Na"  h 

the  boat,  no  two  boards  will  be  of  the  same  size,  they  must 
be  first  nailed  on  and  the  projecting  ends  sawed  off  afterward 
Ihe  centre  brace  may  now  be  taken  out  and  a  long  bottom 

bo  t  fF^'m     ;  "'^^  "P-  *he  insfde  of  th" 

boat  (Fig.  88).    Cut  a  small  cross  piece  (B,  Fig.  88)  so  that  it 

Nail  It  in  place,  driving  the  nails  from  the  outside  of  the  side- 
board through  and  into  the  end  of  the  stick  B.   Saw  out  a  bow 
eat,  and  allowing  the  broad  end  to  rest  on  the  cross  stick  B  fiT 

tne  top  of  the  stern  piece  nail  a  cleat  across.    At  the  same  dis 
ance  below  the  side  board  put  a  cross  stick  similar  o  the  ot" 
«  the  bow.    This  and  the  cleat  on  the  stern  piece  form  rests 


1 1 6  Smnmer. 


for  the  stern  seat.  Five  feet  from  the  stern,  saw  a  notch^  2 
inches  deep  and  \  %  inch  long  in  each  side  board  (A,  A',  Fig. 
88).  Saw  two  more  notches  of  the  same  size  3  inches  from  the 
first  ;  these  will  make  the  rowlock  when  the  side  strips  have 
been  fastened  on. 

These  strips  should  each  be  made  of  i-inch  plank,  2  inches 
wide  and  an  inch  or  two  longer  than  the  side  boards.  Nail  the 
strips  on  the  outside  of  the  boat  flush  with  the  top  of  the  side 
boards,  making  a  neat  joint  at  the  stern  piece,  as  shown  in  the 
illustration  (Fig.  88).    Cut  two  short  strips  to  fit  upon  the  mside 


Fig.  88. 


at  the  rowlocks,  and  fasten  them  firmly  on  with  screws  (Fig. 
88  A).  Next  cut  two  cleats  for  the  oarsman's  seat  to  rest  upon. 
Nail  them  to  the  side  boards  amidship  a  little  nearer  the  bot- 
tom than  the  top,  so  that  the  seat,  when  resting  upon  the  cleats, 
will  be  about  half  the  distance  from  the  top  edge  to  the  bottom 
of  the  side  boards.  Let  the  aft  end  of  the  cleats  be  about  6  feet 
2  inches  from  the  stern.  Make  thole-pins  of  some  hard  wood 
to  fit  in  the  rowlocks,  like  those  heretofore  described  and  illus- 
trated by  Fig.  77»  B,  page  104. 

The  Yankee  Pine  now  only  needs  a  keel  board  to  complete 
it  This  must  be  placed  exactly  in  the  centre,  and  is  fastened 
on  by  a  couple  of  screws  at  the  thin  end  and  nails  from  the  in- 


Hofne-Made  Boats.  uy 


side  of  the  boat.    It  is  also  fastened  to  the  upright  stick  at  the 

stern  by  screws  (Fig.  89). 

If  the  joints  have  been  carefully  made,  your  Yankee  Pine  is 

now  ready  for  launching.     Being  made  of  rough  lumber  it 

needs  no  paint  or  varnish,  but  is  a 

sort   of  rough-and-ready  affair, 

light  to  row  ;  and  it  ought  to  float 

four  people  with  ease.    By  using   

planed  pine  or  cedar  lumber,  and  Fig.  89. 

with  hard-wood  stem  and  stern,  a  very  pretty  row-boat  can  be 
made  upon  the  same  plan  as  a  Yankee  Pine,  or  by  putting  in 
a  centre-board  and  -  stepping  "  a  mast  in  the  bow,  the  Yankee 
Pme  can  be  transformed  into  a  sail-boat.  But  before  experi- 
menting in  this  line  of  boat  building,  the  beginner  had  better 
read  the  followmg  chapter  on  how  to  rig  and  sail  small  boats 


Top  View  of  "  Man  Friday." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


HOW  TO  RIG  AND  SAIL  SMALL  BOATS. 

To  have  the  tiller  in  one's  own  hands  and  feel  competent, 
under  all  ordinary  circumstances,  to  bring  a  boat  safely  into 
port,  gives  the  same  zest  and  excitement  to  a  sail  (only  in  a 
far  greater  degree)  that  the  handhng  of  the  whip  and  reins 
over  a  lively  trotter  does  to  a  drive. 

Knowing  and  feeling  this,  it  was  my  intention  to  devote  a 
couple  of  chapters  to  telUng  how  to  sail  a  boat ;  but  through  the 
kind  courtesy  of  the  editor  of  The  American  Canoeist,  I  am 
able  to  do  much  better  by  giving  my  readers  a  talk  on  this  sub- 
ject by  one  whose  theoretical  knowledge  and  practical  expe- 
rience renders  him  pre-eminently  fit  to  give  reliable  advice  and 
counsel.  The  following  is  what  Mr.  Charles  Ledyard  Norton, 
editor  of  the  above-mentioned  journal,  says: 

Very  many  persons  seem  to  ignore  the  fact  that  a  boy 
who  knows  how  to  manage  a  gun  is,  upon  the  whole,  less  likely 
to  be  shot  than  one  who  is  a  bungler  through  ignorance,  or 
that  a  good  swimmer  is  less  likely  to  be  drowned  than  a  poor 
one.  Such,  however,  is  the  truth  beyond  question.  If  a 
skilled  sportsman  is  now  and  then  shot,  or  an  expert  swimmer 
drowned,  the  fault  is  not  apt  to  be  his  own,  and  if  the  one  who 
is  really  to  blame  had  received  proper  training,  it  is  not  likely 
that  the  accident  would  have  occurred  at  all.  The  same  argu- 
ment holds  good  with  regard  to  the  management  of  boats,  and 
the  author  is  confident  that  he  merits  the  thanks  of  mothers, 


How  to  Rig  and  Sail  Small  Boats.     1 19 

whether  he  receives  them  or  not,  for  giving  their  boys  a  few 
hints  as  to  practical  rigging  and  saiHng. 

"  In  general,  there  are  three  ways  of  learning  how  to  sail 
boats.  First,  from  the  light  of  nature,  which  is  a  poor  way  • 
second,  from  books,  which  is  better;  and  third,  from  another 
fellow  who  knows  how,  which  is  best  of  all.  I  will  try  to  make 
this  article  as  much  like  the  other  fellow  and  as  little  bookish  as 
possible. 

''  Of  course,  what  I  shall  say  in  these  few  paragraphs  will  be 
of  small  use  to  those  who  Hve  within  reach  of  the  sea  or  some 
big  lake,  and  have  always  been  used  to  boats  ;  but  there  are 
thousands  and  thousands  of  boys  and  men  who  never  saw  the 
sea,  nor  even  set  eyes  on  a  sail,  and  who  have  not  the  least 
idea  how  to  make  the  wind  take  them  where  they  want  to  go 
I  once  knew  some  young  men  from  the  interior  who  went  down 
to  the  sea-side  and  hired  a  boat,  with  the  idea  that  they  had 
nothing  to  do  but  hoist  the  sail  and  be  blown  wherever  they 
hked.    The  result  was  that  they  performed  a  remarkable  set 
of  manoeuvres  within  sight  of  the  boat-house,  and  at  last  went 
helplessly  out  to  sea  and  had  to  be  sent  after  and  brought  back 
when  they  were  well  laughed  at  for  their  performances,  and  had 
reason  to  consider  themselves  lucky  for  having  gotten  off  so 
cheaply. 

"The  general  principles  of  sailing  are  as  simple  as  the  na- 
tional game  of  'one  ole  cat.'  That  is  to  say,  if  the  wind 
always  blew  moderately  and  steadily,  it  would  be  as  easy  and 
as  safe  to  sail  a  boat  as  it  is  to  drive  a  steady  old  family  horse 
of  good  and  regular  habits.  The  fact,  however,  is  that  winds 
and  currents  are  variable  in  their  moods,  and  as  capable  of  un- 
expected freaks  as  the  most  fiery  of  unbroken  colts;  but  when 
properly  watched  and  humored  they  are  tractable  and  fascinat- 
ing playmates  and  servants. 

*'  Now,  let  us  come  right  down  to  first  principles.  Take  a  bit 


I20 


Summer. 


of  pine  board,  sharpen  it  at  one  end,  set  up  a  mast  about  a 
quarter  of  the  length  of  the  whole  piece  from  the  bow,  fit  on  a 
square  piece  of  stiff  paper  or  card  for  a  sail,  and  you  are  ready 
for  action.  Put  this  in  the  water,  with  the  sail  set  squarely 
across  (A,  Fig.  90),  and  she  will  run  off  before  the  wind— which 

is  supposed  to  be 
blowing  as  indi- 
cated by  the  ar- 
row— at  a  good 
rate    of  speed. 
If  she  does  not 
steer  herself,  put 
a   small  weight 
near  the  stern,  or 
square  end  ;  or, 
if  you  like,  ar- 
range a  thin  bit 
of  wood    for  a 
Fig.  90.  rudder. 
**  Probably  the  first  primeval  man  who  was  born  with  nau- 
tical instincts  discovered  this  fact,  and,  using  a  bush  for  a 
sail,  greatly  astonished  his  fellow  primevals  by  winning  some 
prehistoric  regatta.    But  that  was  all  he  could  do.    He  was 
as  helpless  as  a  balloonist  is  in  mid-air.    He  could  go,  but 
he  could  not  get  back,  and  we  may  be  sure  that  ages  passed 
away  before  the  possibility  of  sailing  to  windward  was  dis- 
covered. 

Now,  put  up,  or  ♦  step,'  another  mast  and  sail  like  the  first, 
about  as  far  from  the  stern  as  the  first  is  from  the  bow.  Turn 
the  two  sails  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  across  the  boat 
(B  or  C,  Fig.  90),  and  set  her  adrift.  She  will  make  considera- 
ble progress  across  the  course  of  the  wind,  although  she  will  at 
the  same  time  drift  with  it.    If  she  wholly  refuses  to  go  in  the 


How  to  Rig  and  Sail  Small  Boats.  121 


right  direction,  place  a  light  weight  on  her  bow,  so  that  she  will 
be  a  little  'down  by  the  head,'  or  move  the  aftermost  mast 
and  sail  a  little  nearer  to  the  stern. 

The  little  rude  affair  thus  used  for  experiment  will  not 
actually  make  any  progress  to  windward,  because  she  is  so 
light  that  she  moves  sidewise  almost  as  easily  as  she  does  for- 
ward.   With  a  larger,  deeper  boat,  and  with  sails  which  can  be 
set  at  any  angle,  the  effect  will  be  different.    So  long  as  the 
wind  presses  against  the  after  side  of  the  sail,  the  boat  will 
move  through  the  water  in  the  direction  of  the  least  resistance, 
which  is  forward.    A  square  sail,  having  the  mast  in  the  middle,' 
was  easiest  to  begin  with  for  purposes  of  explanation  ;  but  now 
we  will  change  to  a  'fore-and-aft'  rig— that  is,  one  with  the 
mast  at  the  forward  edge  or  '  luff'  of  the  sail,  as  in  Fig.  91. 
Suppose  the  sail  to 
be  set  at  the  angle 
shown,    and  the 
wind   blowing  as 
the  arrow  points. 
The   boat  cannot 
readily  move  side- 
wise,   because  of 
the  broadside  re- 
sistance ;  she  does  not  move  backward,  because  the  wind  is 
pressing  on  the  aftermost  side  of  the  sail.    So  she  very  natur- 
ally moves  forward.    When  she  nears  buoy  No.  i,  the  helms- 
man moves  the  '  tiller,'  or  handle  of  the  rudder,  toward  the  sail. 
This  causes  the  boat  to  turn  her  head  toward  buoy  No.  2,  the 
sail  swings  across  to  the  other  side  of  the  boat  and  fills  on 
that  side,  which  now  in  turn  becomes  the  aftermost,  and  she 
moves  toward  buoy  No.  2  nearly  at  right  angles  to  her  former 
course.    Thus,  through  a  series  of  zig-zags,  the  wind  is  made 
to  work  against  itself.    This  operation  is  called  '  tacking,'  or 


Fig.  91. 


122 


Summer. 


*  working  to  windward,'  and  the  act  of  turning,  as  at  the  buoys 
No.  I  and  No.  2,  is  called  '  going  about.' 

"  It  will  be  seen,  then,  that  the  science  of  sailing  lies  in  being 
able  to  manage  a  boat  with  her  head  pointing  at  any  possible 
angle  to  or  from  the  wind.  Nothing  but  experience  can  teach 
one  all  the  niceties  of  the  art,  but  a  little  aptitude  and  address 
will  do  to  start  with,  keeping  near  shore  and  carrying  little 
sail. 

Simplest  Rig  Possible. 


**  I  will  suppose  that  the  reader  has  the  use  of  a  broad,  flat- 
bottomed  boat  without  any  rudder.    (See  Fig.  92.)    She  can- 


FiG.  92. 


not  be  made  to  work  like  a  racing  yacht  under  canvas,  but  lots 
of  fun  can  be  had  out  of  her. 

**  Do  not  go  to  any  considerable  expense  at  the  outset.  Pro- 
cure an  old  sheet,  or  an  old  hay-cover,  six  or  eight  feet  square, 
and  experiment  with  that  before  spending  your  money  on  new 


How  to  Rig  and  Sail  Small  Boats.     1 23 


material.  If  it  is  a  sheet,  and  somewhat  weakly  in  its  texture, 
turn  all  the  edges  in  and  sew  them,  so  that  it  shall  not  give  way 
at  the  hems.  At  each  corner  sew  on  a  few  inches  of  strong 
twine,  forming  loops  at  the  angles.  Sew  on,  also,  eyelets  or 
small  loops  along  the  edge  which  is  intended  for  the  luff  of  the 
sail,  so  that  it  can  be  laced  to  the  mast. 

"  You  are  now  ready  for  your  spars,  namely,  a  mast  and  a 
*  sprit,'  the  former  a  couple  of  feet  longer  than  the  hiff  of  the 
sail,  and  the  latter  to  be  cut  off  when  you  find  how  long  you 
want  it.  Let  these  spars  be  of  pine,  or  spruce,  or  bamboo — as 
light  as  possible,  especially  the  sprit.  An  inch  and  a  half  di- 
ameter will  do  for  the  mast,  and  an  inch  and  a  quarter  for  the 
sprit,  tapering  to  an  inch  at  the  top.  To  '  step  '  the  mast, 
bore  a  hole  through  one  of  the  thwarts  (seats)  near  the  bow, 
and  make  a  socket  or  step  on  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  just 
under  the  aforesaid  hole— or  if  anything  a  trifle  farther  for- 
ward—to receive  the  foot  of  the  mast.  This  will  hold  the  mast 
upright,  or  with  a  slight  *  rake  '  aft. 

"  Lace  the  luff  of  the  sail  to  the  mast  so  that  its  lower  edge 
will  swing  clear  by  a  foot  or  so  of  the  boat's  sides.  Make  fast 
to  the  loop  at  D  a  stout  hne,  ten  or  twelve  feet  long.  This  is 
called  the  '  sheet,' and  gives  control  of  the  sail.  The  upper  end 
of  the  sprit,  C,  E,  is  trimmed  so  that  the  loop  at  C  will  fit  over 
it  but  not  sHp  down.  The  lower  end  is  simply  notched  to  re- 
ceive a  short  line  called  a  *  snotter,'  as  shown  in  the  detailed 
drawing  at  the  right  of  the  cut  (Fig.  92).  It  will  be  readily  un- 
derstood that,  when  the  sprit  is  pushed  upward  in  the  direction 
of  C,  the  sail  will  stand  spread  out.  The  line  is  placed  in  the 
notch  at  E  and  pulled  up  until  the  sail  sets  properly,  when  it  is 
made  fast  to  a  cleat  or  to  a  cross  piece  at  F.  This  device  is  in 
common  use  and  has  its  advantages,  but  a  simple  loop  for  the 
foot  of  the  sprit  to  rest  in  is  more  easily  made  and  will  do 
nearly  as  well.    H  is  an  oar  for  steering.     Having  thus  de- 


124 


Summer. 


scribed  the  simplest  rig  possible,  we  may  turn  our  attention  to 
more  elegant  and  elaborate  but  not  always  preferable  outfits. 

Leg-of- Mutton  Rig. 

**  One  of  the  prettiest  and  most  convenient  rigs  for  a  small 
boat  is  known  as  the  '  leg-of-mutton  sharpie  rig  '  (Fig.  93). 
The  sail  is  triangular,  and  the  sprit,  instead  of  reaching  to  its 
upper  corner,  stands  nearly  at  right  angles 
A     to  the  mast.    It  is  held  in  position  at  the 
/        mast  by  the  devices  already  described.  This 
/  rig  has  the  advantage  of  keeping  the  whole 

/  sail  flatter  than  any  other,  for  the  end  of 

/  the  sprit  cannot  *  kick  up,*  as  the  phrase 

/  goes,  and  so  the  sail  holds  all  the  wind  it 

|l  receives. 

^A->j  Fig.  94  shows  a  device,  published  for 

■^^^^t^it^    the  first  time  in  the  St.  Nicholas  Magazine 
Fig.  93-  for  September,  1880,  which  enables  the  sail- 

or to  step  and  unstep  his  mast,  and  hoist  or  lower  his  sail  with- 
out leaving  his  seat — a  matter  of  great  importance  when  the 
boat  is  light  and  tottUsh,  as  in  the  case  of  that  most  beautiful 
of  small  craft,  the  modern  canoe,  where  the  navigator  sits  habit- 
ually amidships.  The  lower  mast  (A,  B,  Fig.  94)  stands  about 
two  and  a  half  feet  above  the  deck.  It  is  fitted  at  the  head 
with  a  metal  ferrule  and  pin,  and  just  above  the  deck  with  two 
half-cleats  or  other  similar  devices  (A).  The  topmast  (C,  D) 
is  fitted  at  F  with  a  stout  ring,  and  has  double  halyards  (E) 
rove  through  or  around  its  foot.  The  lower  mast  being  in  po- 
sition (see  lower  part  of  Fig.  94),  the  canoeist  desiring  to  make 
sail  brings  the  boat's  head  to  the  wind,  takes  the  top-mast  with 
the  sail  loosely  furled  in  one  hand,  and  the  halyards  in  the 
other.    It  is  easy  for  him  by  raising  this  mast,  without  leaving 


How  to  Rig  and  Sail  Small  Boats.  125 


his  seat,  to  pass  the  halyards  one  on  each  side  of  the  lower 
mast  and  let  them  fall  into  place  close  to  the  deck  under  the 
half  -  cleats   at  A. 
Then,  holding  the 
h  aly ards  taut 
enough     to  keep 
them    in  position, 
he    will    hook  the 
topmast  ring  over 
the  pin  in  the  lower 
mast-head  and  haul 
away  (see  top  part 
of   Fig.  94).  The 
mast  will  rise  into 
place,   where  it  is 
made  fast.    A  col- 
lar of  leather,  or  a 
knob  of  some  kind, 
placed  on  the  top- 
mast just  below  the 
ring,  will  act  as  a 
fulcrum   when  the 
halyards  are  hauled 
taut,  and  keep  the 
mast  from  working- 
to  and  fro. 

"The  advan- 
tages of  the  rig  are 
obvious.  The  mast 
can  be  raised  with- 
out standing  up.  Fig.  94.— A  New  Device, 
and  in  case  of  necessity  the  halyards  can  be  let  go  and  the 
mast  and  sail  unshipped  and  stowed  below  with  the  greatest 


126 


Summer, 


ease  and  expedition,  leaving  only  the  short  lower  mast  stand- 
ing. A  leg-of-mutton  sail  with  a  common  boom  along  the  foot 
is  shown  in  the  cut  as  the  most  easily  illustrated  application  of 
the  device,  but  there  is  no  reason  why  it  may  not  be  applied  to 
a  sail  of  different  shape,  with  a  sprit  instead  of  a  boom,  and  a 
square  instead  of  a  pointed  head. 


I    "The  Latteen  Rig 

is  recommended  only  for  boats  which  are  '  stiff' — not  tottlish, 
that  is.  The  fact  that  a  considerable  portion  of  the  sail  pro- 
jects forward  of  the  mast  renders  it  awkward  in  case  of  a  sud- 
den shift  of  wind.  Its  most  convenient 
form  is  shown  in  Fig.  95.  The  arrange- 
ment for  shipping  and  unshipping  the 
yard  is  precisely  like  that  shown  in  Fig. 
94 — a  short  lower  mast  with  a  pin  at 
the  top  and  a  ring  fittea  to  the  yard. 
It  has  a  boom  at  the  foot  which  is 
joined  to  the  yard  at  C  by  means  of  a 
hook  or  a  simple  lashing,  having  suffi- 
cient play  to  allow  the  two  spars  to 
shut  up  together  like  a  pair  of  dividers. 
The  boom  (C,  E)  has,  where  it  meets 
the  short  lower  mast,  a  half-cleat  or  jaw, 
shown  in  detail  at  the  bottom  of  the  cut 
(Fig.  95),  the  circle  representing  a  cross 
Fig.  95.-The  Latteen  Rig.  section  of  the  mast.  This  should  be 
lashed  to  the  boom,  as  screws  or  bolts  would  weaken  it.  To 
take  in  sail,  the  boatman  brings  the  boat  to  the  wind,  seizes  the 
boom  and  draws  it  toward  him.  This  disengages  it  from  the 
mast.  He  then  shoves  it  forward,  when  the  yard  (C,  D)  falls  of 
its  own  weight  into  his  hands,  and  can  be  at  once  lifted  clear  of 


JJcCaiLs  of  ~\ 
Milf-ciocUfor  V 
Lfittee-n.  Tic^j 


How  to  Rig  and  Sail  Small  Boats.  \2rj 


the  lower  mast.  To  keep  the  sail  flat,  it  is  possible  to  arrange 
a  collar  .on  the  lower  mast  so  that  the  boom,  when  once  in  po- 
sition, cannot  slip  upward  and  suffer  the  sail  to  bag. 

''The  Cat-Rig, 

so  popular  on  the  North  Atlantic  coast,  is  indicated  in  Fig. 
91.  The  spar  at  the  head  of  the  sail  is  called  a  'gaff,' 
and,  Hke  the  boom,  it  fits  the  mast  with  semicircular  jaws. 
The  sail  is  hoisted  and  lowered  by  means  of  halyards  rove 
through  a  block  near  the  mast-head.  The  mast  is  set  in  the 
bows—'  chock  up  in  the  eyes  of  her/  as  a  sailor  would  say. 
A  single  leg-of-mutton  sail  will  not  work  in  this  position,  be- 
cause the  greater  part  of  its  area  is  too  far  forward  of  amidships. 
No  rig  is  handier  or  safer  than  this  in  working  to  windward  ; 
but  off  the  wind— running  before,  or  nearly  before  it,  that  is — 
the  weight  of  mast  and  sail,  and  the  pressure  of  the  wind  at  one 
side  and  far  forward,  make  the  boat  very  difficult  and  dangerous 
to  steer.  Prudent  boatmen  often  avoid  doing  so  by  keeping 
the  wind  on  the  quarter  and,  as  it  were,  tacking  to  leeward. 

This  suggests  the  question  of  'jibing,'  an  operation  always 
to  be  avoided  if  possible.  Suppose  the  wind  to  be  astern,  and 
the  boat  running -nearly  before  it.  It  becomes  necessary  to 
change  your  course  toward  the  side  on  which  the  sail  is  draw- 
ing. The  safest  way  is  to  turn  at  first  in  the  opposite  direction, 
put  the  helm  '  down '  (toward  the  sail),  bring  the  boat  up  into 
the  wind,  turn  her  entirely  around,  and  stand  off  on  the  new 
tack.  This,  however,  is  not  always  possible.  HauHng  in  the 
sheet  until  the  sail  fills  on  the  other  side  is  'jibing  ; '  but  when 
this  happens  it  goes  over  with  a  rush  that  sometimes  carries 
mast  and  sheet  or  upsets  the  boat  ;  hence  the  operation  should 
be  first  undertaken  in  a  light  wind.  It  is  necessary  to  know 
how  to  do  it,  for  sometimes  a  sail  insists  upon  jibing  very  unex- 
pectedly, and  it  is  best  to  be  prepared  for  such  emergencies. 


128 


Summer. 


How  to  Make  a  Sail. 

For  the  sails  of  such  boats  as  are  considered  in  this  paper, 
there  is  no  better  material  than  unbleached  twilled  cotton  sheet- 
ing. It  is  to  be  had  two  and  a  half  or  even  three  yards  wide. 
In  cutting  out  your  sail,  let  the  selvedge  be  at  the  'leech,'  or 
aftermost  edge.  This,  of  course,  makes  it  necessary  to  cut  the 
luff  and  foot  *  bias,'  and  they  are  very  likely  to  stretch  in  the 
making,  so  that  the  sail  will  assume  a  different  shape  from  what 
was  intended.  To  avoid  this,  baste  the  hem  carefully  before 
sewing,  and  *  hold  in '  a  little  to  prevent  fulling.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  tack  the  material  on  the  floor  before  cutting,  and  mark 
the  outline  of  the  sail  with  pencil.  Stout  tape  stitched  along 
the  bias  edges  will  make  a  sure  thing  of  it,  and  the  material  can 
be  cut,  making  due  allowance  for  the  hem.  Better  take  femi- 
nine advice  on  this  process.  The  hems  should  be  half  an  inch 
deep  all  around,  selvedge  and  all,  and  it  will  do  no  harm  to  re- 
inforce them  with  cord  if  you  wish  to  make  a  thoroughly  good 
piece  of  work. 

'*  For  running-rigging,  nothing  is  better  than  laid  or  braided 
cotton  cord,  such  as  is  used  for  awnings  and  sash-cords.  If 
this  is  not  easily  procured,  any  stout  twine  will  answer.  It  can 
be  doubled  and  twisted  as  often  as  necessary.  The  smallest 
manila  rope  is  rather  stiff  and  unmanageable  for  such  light  sails 
as  ours. 

"  In  fitting  out  a  boat  of  any  kind,  iron,  unless  galvanized,  is 
to  be  avoided  as  much  as  possible,  on  account  of  its  liabihty  to 
rust.    Use  brass  or  copper  instead. 

Hints  to  Beginners. 

"  Nothing  has  been  said  about  reefing  thus  far,  because  small 
boats  under  the  management  of  beginners  should  not  be  afloat 
in  a  *  reefing  breeze.'    Reefing  is  the  operation  of  reducing 


How  to  Rig  and  Sail  Small  Boats.  129 


the  spread  of  sail  when  the  wind  becomes  too  fresh.  If  you 
will  look  at  Fig.  95  you  will  see  rows  of  short  marks  on  the  sail 
above  the  boom.  These  are  *  reef-points  '—bits  of  line  about 
a  foot  long  passing  through  holes  in  the  sail,  and  knotted  so 
that  they  will  not  slip.  In  reefing,  the  sail  is  lowered  and  that 
portion  of  it  between  the  boom  and  the  reef-points  is  gathered 
together,  and  the  points  are  tied  around  both  it  and  the  boom. 
When  the  lower  row -of  points  is  used  it  is  a  single  reef.  Both 
rows  together  are  a  double  reef. 

"  Make  your  first  practical  experiment  with  a  small  sail  and 
with  the  wind  blozving  toward  the  shore.  Row  out  a  little  way, 
and  then  sail  in  any  direction  in  which  you  can  make  the  boat 
go,  straight  back  to  shore  if  you  can,  with  the  sail  out  nearly  at 
right  angles  with  the  boat.  Then  try  running  along  shore  with 
the  sheet  hauled  in  a  little,  and  the  sail  on  the  side  nearest  the 
shore.  You  will  soon  learn  what  your  craft  can  do,  and  will 
probably  find  that  she  will  make  very  little,  if  any,  headway  to 
windward.  This  is  partly  because  she  slides  sidewise  over  the 
water.  To  prevent  it  you  may  use  a  '  lee-board  —namely,  a 
broad  board  hung  over  the  side  of  the  boat  (G,  Fig.  92).  This 
must  be  held  by  stout  lines,  as  the  strain  upon  it  is  very  heavy. 
It  should  be  placed  a  Httle  forward  of  the  middle  of  the  boat. 

It  must  be  on  the  side  away  from  the  wind — the  lee  side  and 

must  be  shifted  when  you  go  about.  Keels  and  centre-boards 
are  permanent  contrivances  for  the  same  purpose,  but  a  lee- 
board  answers  very  well  as  a  makeshift,  and  is  even  used 
habitually  by  some  canoeists  and  other  boatmen. 

"  In  small  boats  it  is  sometimes  desirable  to  sit  amidships, 
because  sitting  in  the  stern  raises  the  bow  too  high  out  of 
Water ;  steering  may  be  done  with  an  oar  over  the  lee  side,  or 
with  *  yoke-lines '  attached  to  a  cross  piece  on  the  rudder- 
head,  or  even  to  the  tiller.  In  this  last  case,  the  lines  must  be 
rove  through  rings  or  pulleys  at  the  sides  of  the  boat  opposite 
9 


I30 


Swnmer. 


the  end  of  the  tiller.  When  the  handle  of  the  oar  (H,  Fig.  92) 
— or  the  tiller  (F,  Fig.  95)  if  a  rudder  is  used— is  pushed  to  the 
right,  the  boat  will  turn  to  the  left,  and  vice  versa.  The  science 
of  steering  consists  in  knowing  when  to  push  and  how  much  to 
push — very  simple,  you  see,  in  the  statement,  but  not  always 
so  easy  in  practice. 

"The  sail  should  be  so  adjusted  in  relation  to  the  rest  of  the 
boat  that,  when  the  sheet  is  hauled  close  in  and  made  fast,  the 
boat,  if  left  to  herself,  will  point  her  head  to  the  wind  like  a 
weather-cock,  and  drift  slowly  astern.  If  it  is  found  that  the 
sail  is  so  far  forward  that  she  will  not  do  this,  the  fault  may  be 
remedied  by  stepping  the  mast  further  aft,  or  by  rigging  a 
small  sail  near  the  stern.  This  is  called  a  '  dandy,'  or  *  steer- 
ing-sail,' and  is  especially  convenient  in  a  boat  whose  size  or 
arrangement  necessitates  sitting  amidships.  It  may  be  rigged 
like  the  mainsail,  and  when  its  sheet  is  once  made  fast  will  ordi- 
narily take  care  of  itself  in  tacking. 

"Remember  that,  if  the  wind  freshens  or  a  squall  strikes  you, 
the  position  of  safety  is  with  the  boat's  head  to  the  wind. 

When  in  doubt  what  to  do, 
push  the  helm  down  (toward 
the  sail)  and  haul  in  the  slack 
of  the  sheet  as  the  boat  comes 
up  into  the  wind.  If  she  is 
moving  astern,  or  will  not  mind 
her  helm  —  and  of  course  she 
will  not  if  she  is  not  moving — 
pull  her  head  around  to  the  wind  with  an  oar,  and  experiment 
cautiously  until  you  find  which  way  you  can  make  her  go. 

* '  In  making  a  landing,  always  calculate  to  have  the  boat's 
head  as  near  the  wind  as  possible  when  she  ceases  to  move. 
This  whether  you  lower  your  sail  or  not. 

"Thus,  if  the  wind  is  off  shore,  as  shown  at  A,  Fig.  96,  land 


Fig.  96. 


How  to  Rig  and  Sail  Small  Boats.  131 


at  F  or  G,  with  the  bow  toward  the  shore.  If  the  wind  is  from 
the  direction  of  B,  land  at  E  with  the  bow  toward  B,  or  at  F ; 
if  at  the  latter,  the  boom  will  swing  away  from  the  wharf  and 
permit  you  to  lie  alongside.  If  the  wind  is  from  D,  reverse 
these  positions.  If  the  wind  comes  from  the  direction  of  C, 
land  either  at  F  or  G,  with  the  bow  pointing  offshore. 

"  If  you  have  no  one  to  tell  you  what  to  do,  you  will  have  to 
feel  your  way  slowly  and  learn  by  experience  ;  but  if  you  have 
nautical  instincts  you  will  soon  make  your  boat  do  what  you 
wish  her  to  do  as  far  as  she  is  able.  But  first  learjt  to  swim  be- 
fore you  try  to  sail  a  boat'' 

Volumes  have  been  written  on  the  subject  treated  in  these 
few  pages,  and  it  is  not  yet  exhausted.  The  hints  here  given 
are  safe  ones  to  follow,  and  will,  it  is  hoped,  be  of  service  to 
many  a  young  sailor  in  many  a  corner  of  the  world. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


NOVELTIES  IN  SOAP-BUBBLES. 


Every  Boy  His  Own  Bubble  Pipe. 

A    SOAP-BUBBLE "  is 
an  uncouth,  inelegant  name 
for  such  an  ethereal,  fairy 
sphere.    It  is  such  a  com- 
^  mon,  every-day  sight  to  us 

^^r-yp  that  we  seldom  give  it  much 
attention    or   realize  how 


wonderful  and  beautiful  is 
this  fragile,  transparent,  liq- 
uid globe.  Its  spherical 
form  is  typical  of  perfection, 
and  the  ever-changing,  pris- 
matic colors  of  its  iridis- 
cent  surface  charm  the  eye. 

It  is  like  a  beautiful 
dream ;  we  are  entranced 
while  it  lasts,  but  in  an  instant  it  vanishes  and  leaves  nothing  to 
mark  its  former  existence  except  the  memory  of  its  loveliness. 

Few  persons  can  stand  by  and  watch  another  blowing  bub- 
bles without  being  seized  with  an  uncontrollable  desire  to  blow 
one  for  themselves.  There  is  a  peculiar  charm  or  pleasure  in 
the  very  act  which  not  many  who  have  known  it  ever  outgrow. 
At  the  present  time     soap-bubble  parties  "  are  becoming  quite 


Every  Boy  his  own  Bubble  Pipe. 


Novelties  in  Soap-Bubbles. 


fashionable.  At  one  of  these  gatherings  the  guests,  old  and 
young,  furnished  with  clay  pipes,  stand  around  a  table,  in  the 
centre  of  which  is  placed  a  fancy  punch  bowl  filled— not  with 
a  mixture  of  ardent  spirits,  but  soapsuds.  Prizes  are  awarded 
to  those  among  the  guests  who  successfully  launch  in  air  the 
largest  bubble,  and  to  those  who  keep  theirs  flying  for  the 
greatest  length  of  time  or  send  them  the  highest.  As  may  be 
imagined,  these  parties  are  very  amusing,  and  everybody  at  first 
tries  to  prevent  his  or  her  neighbor  from  succeeding,  until,  amid 
great  merriment  and  confusion,  the  hostess  announces  that  if 
her  guests  expect  the  prizes  to  be  awarded,  a  rule  must  be 
enacted  compelling  them  to  pay  more  attention  to  their  own 
efforts  and  not  allowing  them  to  molest  each  other. 

It  is  generally  known  that  a  bubble  will  burst  if  it  touch  any 
hard  or  smooth  surface,  but  upon  the  carpet  or  a  woollen  cloth 
it  will  roll  or  bounce  merrily. 

If  you  take  advantage  of  this  fact  you  can  with  a  woollen 
cloth  make  bubbles  dance  and  fly  around  as  lively  as  a  juggler's 
gilt  balls,  and  you  will  be  astonished  to  find  what  apparently 
rough  handling  these  fragile  bubbles  will  stand  when  you  are 
careful  not  to  allow  them  to  touch  anything  but  the  woollen 
cloth. 

It  may  be  worth  remarking  that  the  coarser  the  soap  the 
brighter  the  bubbles  will  be.  The  compound  known  as  soft 
soap"  is  by  some  persons  considered  the  best  for  the  purpose. 

In  the  accompanying  illustrations  are  shown  two^  kinds  of 
soap-bubbles. 

One  of  the  pictures  shows  how  to  transform  your  bubble 
into  an  aerial  vapor  balloon. 

If  you  wish  to  try  this  pretty  experiment,  procure  a  rubber 
tube,  say  a  yard  long,  and  with  an  aperture  small  enough  to  re- 
quire considerable  stretching  to  force  it  over  the  gas-burner. 
After  you  have  stretched  one  end  so  as  to  fit  tightly  over  the 


134 


Summer, 


burner,  wrap  the  stem  of  a  clay  pipe  with  wet  paper  and  push 
it  into  the  other  end  of  the  tube,  where  it  must  fit  so  as  to  al- 
low no  gas  to  escape.    Dip  the  bowl  of  your  pipe  into  the  suds 

and  turn  the  gas  on  ;  the  force  of  the 
gas  will  be  sufficient  to  blow  the  bub- 
ble for  you,  and,  as  the  gas  is  lighter 
than  the  air,  the  bubble,  when  freed 
from  the  pipe,  will  rapidly  ascend  and 
never  stop  in  its  upward  course  until 
it  perishes. 

Old  Uncle  Cassius,  an  aged  negro 
down  in  Kentucky,  used  to  amuse  the 
children  by  making  smoke-bubbles. 

Did  you  ever  see  smoke-bubbles  ? 
In  one  the  white-blue  smoke,  in.beau- 
tiful  curves,  will  curl  and  circle  under 
its  crystal  shell.  Another  will  possess  a 
lovely  opalescent,  pearly  appearance, 
and  if  one  be  thrown  from  the  pipe 
while  quite  small  and  densely  filled 
with  smoke,  it  will  appear  like  an  opaque  polished  ball  of  milky 
whiteness.  It  is  always  a  great  frolic  for  the  children  when 
they  catch  Uncle  Cassius  smoking  his  corn-cob  pipe.  They 
gather  around  his  knee  with  their  bowl  of  soapsuds  and  bub- 
ble pipes,  and  while  the  good-natured  old  man  takes  a  few  lusty 
whiffs  from  his  corn-cob  and  fills  his  capacious  mouth  with 
tobacco  smoke,  one  of  the  children  dips  a  pipe  into  the  suds, 
starts  the  bubble  and  passes  it  to  Uncle  Cassius.  All  then  stoop 
down  and  watch  the  gradual  growth  of  that  wonderful  smoke- 
bubble  ;  and  when  Dandy,"  the  dog,  chases  and  catches  one 
of  these  bubbles,  how  the  children  laugh  to  see  the  astonished 
and  injured  look  upon  his  face,  and  what  fun  it  is  to  see  him 


Gas-bubble. 


sneeze  and  rub  his  nose  with  his 


paw 


Novelties  in  Soap- Bubbles.  135 


The  figure  at  the  head  of  this  chapter  shows  you  how  to 
make  a  giant  bubble.  It  is  done  by  first  covering  your  hands 
well  with  soapsuds,  then  placing  them  together  so  as  to  form  a 
cup,  leaving  a  small  opening  at  the  bottom.  All  that  is  then 
necessary  is  to  hold  your  mouth  about  a  foot  from  your  hands 
and  blow  into  them.  I  have  made  bubbles  in  this  way  twice 
the  size  of  my  head.  These  bubbles  are  so  large  that  they  in- 
variably burst  upon  striking  the  floor,  being  unable  to  withstand 
the  concussion. 

Although  generally  considered  a  trivial  amusement,  only  fit 
for  young  children,  blowing  soap-bubbles  has  been  an  occupa- 
tion appreciated  and  indulged  in  by  great  philosophers  and  men 
of  science,  and  wonderful  discoveries  in  optics  and  natural 
philosophy  might  be  made  with  only  a  clay-pipe  and  a  bowl 
of  soapsuds. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


FOURTH  OF  JULY  BALLOONS  WITH  NEW  AND 
NOVEL  ATTACHMENTS. 


Did  you  ever,  while  watching  a  beautiful  soap-bubble  dance 
merrily  through  the  air,  think  how  closely  it  resembled  the  im- 
mense silken  bubble  beneath  which  the  daring  aeronaut  goes 
bounding  among  the  clouds  ? 

Especially  is  this  true  of  the  gas-bubble  described  in  the 
foregoing  chapter.  When  a  boy,  the  author's  ambition  natur- 
ally led  him  from  these  vapor  balloons  to  experimenting  in 

more  lasting  material  than  soap- 
suds. He  then  devoted  his  atten- 
tion for  some  time  to  paper  bal- 
loons, and,  after  numerous  experi- 
ments and  disasters,  succeeded  in 
building  balloons  of  a  style  which 
is  comparatively  safe  from  acci- 
dent and  seldom  the  cause  of  a 
mortifying  failure.  If  you  do  not 
want  to  disappoint  the  spectators 
by  having  a  fire  instead  of  an  as- 

Too  long  a  neck  (unsafe).  cension,  aVoid  modcls  with  Small 

mouth-openings  or  narrow  necks.  Experience  has  also  taught 
the  writer  that  balloons  of  good,  substantial,  portly  build  go  up 
best  and  make  their  journey  in  a  stately,  dignified  manner, 
while  the  slim,  narrow  balloon,  on  the  contrary,  even  if  it  sue- 


Foitrth  of  yiily  Balloons. 


137 


ceeds  in  getting  a  safe  start,  goes  bobbing  through  the  air, 
turning  this  way  and  that,  until  the  flame  from  the  fire-ball 


Too  Square  and  Narrow  (unsafe).  Too  Narrow  (unsafe). 


touches  and  lights  the  thin  paper,  leaving  only  a  handful  of 
ashes  floati  ng  upon  the  summer  breeze. 

The  reader  can  see  here  illustrated  some  of  the  objectionable 


Round  Balloon  (safe).  Slightly  Elongated  Balloon  (safe). 

shapes  as  well  as  some  of  the  safe  styles.  For  large  balloons, 
strong  manila-paper  is  best ;  for  smaller  ones,  use  tissue-paper. 


138 


It 


When  you  build  a  balloon,  decide  first  what  height  you  want 
then  make  the  side  pieces  or  gores  nearly  a  third  longer  ;  a 

balloon  of  thirteen  gores,  each 
six  feet  long  and  one  foot  great- 
est width,  when  distended  with 
hot  air  ready  to  ascend,  is  a  lit- 
tle over  four  feet  high.  For 
such  a  balloon,  first  make  a 
pattern  of  stiff  brown  paper  by 
which  to  cut  the  gores.  To 
make  the  pattern,  take  a  strip 
of  paper  six  feet  long  and  a 
little  over  one  foot  wide  ;  fold 
the  paper  in  the  centre  length- 


Pumpkin-shaped  Balloon  (safe). 


wise,  SO  that  it  will  be  only  slightly  over  a  half  foot  from  the 
edges  to  the  fold.  Along  the  bottom  measure  two  inches  from 
the  fold  and  mark  the  point. 
At  one  foot  from  the  bottom, 
at  right  angles  from  the  folded 
edge,  measure  three  inches  and 
one-half,  and  .mark  the  point ; 
in  the  same  manner  mark  ofT 
five  inches  from  two  feet  up 
the  fold.  From  a  point  three 
feet  four  inches  from  the  bot- 
tom measure  off  six  inches 
and  mark  the  point ;  from  this 
place  the  width  decreases.  At 
the  fourth  foot  mark  a  point 
five  inches  and  one-half  from 
the  fold  ;   about  three  inches 


Regular- shaped  Balloon  (safe). 


and  a  third  at  the  fifth  foot  ;  nothing,  of  course,  at  the  sixth 
foot,  or  top,  where  the  gore  will  come  to  a  point.    With  chalk 


Fourth  of  July  Balloons, 


139 


or  pencil  draw  a  curved  line  connecting  these  points  ;  cut  the 
paper  along  this  line  and  unfold  it. 

You  will  have  a  pattern  the  shape  of  a  cigar,  four  inches 


Fig.  97.— Single  Gore. 


wide  at  the  bottom,  one  foot  greatest  width,  and  six  feet  long. 
After  pasting  your  sheets  of  manila  or  tissue-paper  together 
in  strips  of  the  required  length  cut  out  thirteen  gores  by  the 
pattern  just  made  ;  lay  one  of  these  gores  flat  upon  the  floor,  as  in 


Fig.  98.— Single  Gore  Folded. 


Fig.  97  ;  fold  it  in  the  centre,  as  in  Fig.  98  ;  over  this  lay  another 
gore,  leaving  a  margin  of  the  under  gore  protruding  from  be- 
neath (Fig.  99). ,  With  a  brush  cover  the  protruding  edge  with 
paste,  then  turn  it  up  and  over  upon  the  upper  gore,  and  with 


\.  99.— Folded  Gore  with  a  second  Gore  over  it,  ready  for  Pasting. 


a  towel  or  rag  press  it  down  until  the  two  edges  adhere.  Fold 
the  upper  gore  in  the  centre  as  you  did  the  first  one,  and  lay 
a  third  gore  upon  it  ;  paste  the  free  protruding  edge  ;  and  so  on 


140 


Stmnner. 


until  all  thirteen  are  pasted.  It  will  be  found  that  the  bottom 
gore  and  top  gore  have  each  an  edge  unpasted  ;  lay  these  two 
edges  together  and  paste  them  neatly. 

Next  you  must  make  a  hoop  of  rattan  or  some  light  sub- 
I JG.  100.  stance  to  fit  the  mouth  opening, 

which  will  be  about  one  foot  and 
a  half  in  diameter.  Fasten  the 
hoop  in  by  pasting  the  edges  of 
the  mouth  opening  around  it.  In 
very  large  paper  balloons  it  is  well 
to  place  a  piece  of  string  along 
the  edge  of  each  gore  and  paste 
it  in,  letting  the  ends  of  the  strings 
hang  down  below  the  mouth  ; 
fasten  the  hoop  in  with  these  ends 
before  pasting  the  paper  over  it. 
It  will  be  found  next  to  impossible 
to  tear  the  hoop  from  a  balloon, 
strengthened  in  this  manner,  with- 
out totally  destroying  the  balloon. 

Should  you  discover  an  open- 
ing at  the  top  of  your  balloon, 
caused  by  the  points  not  joining 
exactly,  tie  it  up  with  a  string  if 
it  be  small,  but  if  it  be  a  large 
hole  paste  a  piece  of  paper  over  it  When  dry,  take  a  fan  and 
fan  the  balloon  as  full  of  air  as  you  can,  and  while  it  is  inflated 
make  a  thorough  inspection  of  all  sides  to  see  that  there  are  no 
accidental  tears,  holes  or  rips. 

Fig.  100  shows  the  cross  wires  that  support  the  fire-ball. 
The  latter  is  best  made  of  old-fashioned  lamp-wick  wound, 
rather  loosely,  in  the  form  of  a  ball,  the  size  depending  upon 
the  dimensions  of  the  balloon.    The  sponge  commonly  used 


Top  View  of  Hoop  and  Cross  Wire. 


Wick-ball. 


Side  View  of  Hoop  showing  Wick- 
ball  hung  in  place. 


Fourth  of  July  Ballooits. 


soon  burns  out  and  the  balloon  comes  down  in  a  very  little 
while  ;  but  the  wick-ball  here  described  seldom  fails  to  propel 
the  little  air-ship  upward  and  onward  out  of  sight.  A  short, 
fine  wire  should  next  be  run  quite  through  the  wick-ball,  so 
that  it  can  be  attached  to  the  mouth  of  the  balloon  in  an  instant 
by  hooking  the  ends  of  this  wire  over  the  cross  wires  at  the 
mouth. 

If  you  use  a  Httle  care  you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  send- 
ing up  the  balloon.    Place  your  wick-ball  in  a  pan  or  dish,  put 
the  corked  bottle  of  alcohol  beside  it,  and  about  thirty  feet  away 
make  a  simple  fire-place  of  bricks  or  stones,  over  which  place  a 
piece  of  stove-pipe.    Fill  the  fire-place  with  shavings,  twisted 
pieces  of  paper,  or  anything  that  will  light  readily  and  make  a 
good  blaze.    In  a  loop  of  string  fastened  at  the  top  of  the  bal- 
loon for  that  purpose  let  one  of  the  party  put  the  end  of  a 
smooth  stick,  and,  with  the  other  end  in  his  hand,  mount  some 
elevated  position  and  hold  the  balloon  over  the  fire-place.  Be- 
fore touching  a  match  to  the  combustibles  below,  expand  the 
balloon  as  much  as  possible  by  fanning  it  full  of  air ;  then  hght 
the  fire.    Be  very  careful,  in  all  the  process  that  follows,  to  hold 
the  mouth  of  the  balloon  directly  above  and  not  too  near  the 
stove-pipe,  to  prevent  the  blaze  from  setting  fire  to  the  paper, 
which  will  easily  ignite.    At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  one 
person  must  take  the  bottle  of  alcohol,  uncork  it,  and  pour 
the  contents  over  the  wick-ball  in  the  basin,  and  the  ball  must 
be  made  to  soak  up  all  it  will  hold  of  the  spirits.    The  balloon 
will  become  more  and  more  buoyant  as  the  air  becomes  heated 
inside,  and  at  length,  when  distended  to  its  utmost,  it  will  be- 
gin pulling  to  free  itself.     Holding  the  hoop  at  the  mouth, 
walk  to  one  side  of  the  fire  and  with  all  speed  have  the  ball  at- 
tached securely  in  place.    Touch  a  light  to  it,  and  it  will  blaze 
up.    At  the  words     All  right,"  let  go.    The  same  instant  the 
stick  must  be  slid  from  the  loop  on  top,  so  as  not  to  tear 


142 


Summer. 


the  paper,  and  away  will  sail  the  balloon  upon  its  airy 
voyage. 

Never  attempt  to  send  up  a  balloon  upon  a  windy  day,  for 
the  wind  will  be  sure,  sooner  or  later,  to  blow  the  blaze  aside 
and  set  the  paper  on  fire,  and  if  once  it  catches  up  in  the  air 
there  is  not  much  use  in  trying  to  save  it. 

After  you  have  made  a  balloon  like  the  one  just  described 
and  sent  it  up  successfully,  you  can  try  other  shapes.  A  very 
good  plan  in  experimenting  is  to  make  a  small  working  model 

of  light  tissue-paper,  fill  it 
with  cold  air  by  means  of  an 
ordinary  fan,  and  when  it  is 
expanded  any  defect  in  form 
or  proportion  can  be  readily 
detected  and  remedied.  If 
it  be  too  narrow,  cut  it  open 
at  one  seam  and  put  in  an- 
other gore,  or  vice  versa,  un- 
til you  are  satisfied  with  the 
result ;  with  this  as  a  pattern, 
construct  , your  larger  balloon. 
Such  a  model,  eighteen  inches 
high,  lies  upon  the  writer's 
table.  He  has  sent  it  up  in  the  house  several  times  by  holding  it 
a  few  moments  over  a  burning  gas-jet.  The  balloon  rapidly  fills 
with  heated  air,  and  when  freed  soars  up  to  the  ceiling,  where 
it  rolls  along  until  the  air  cools,  then  falls  gently  to  the  floor. 

The  parachute  shown  in  the  tail-piece  is  simply  a  square 
piece  of  paper  with  a  string  at  each  of  the  four  corners,  meeting 
a  short  distance  underneath,  where  a  weight  is  attached.  Fig. 
loi  shows  how  to  make  one  that  will  not  tear.  It  is  made  of 
two  square  pieces  of  paper.  Two  pieces  of  string  are  laid  diag- 
onally across  the  first  paper  ;  on  top  of  this  the  second  piece  of 


Fig.  ioi.— Method  of  pasting  Paper  and 
Strings  for  Parachute. 


Fourth  of  yuly  Balloons. 


143 


paper  is  pasted,  enclosing  the  strings  without 
disturbing  them  ;  the  ends  of  the  strings  come 
out  at  the  corners. 

These  parachutes  are  attached  to  a  wire 
that  hangs  from  the  balloon  in  this  manner : 
From  the  centre  and  top  of  the  parachute  is 
a  string,  we  will  say,  a  foot  long  ;  this  is  tied 
securely  to  one  end  of  the  large  fuse  from  a 
pack  of  Chinese  fire-crackers  ;   a  few  inches 
from  the  other  end  of  the  fuse  another  string 
is  tied  and  fastened  to  the  wire.    Just  as  the 
balloon  starts  the  free  end  of  the  fuse  is  hghted 
(Fig.  102).    When  it  has  burned  itself  away 
past  the  point  where  the  lower  string  has  been 
fastened,  it  of  course  severs   the  connection 
between  the  parachute  and  the  balloon,  and 
the  parachute  drops,  but  does  not  go  far,  be- 
fore the  air  beneath  spreads  it  out,  the  weight 
at  the  bottom  balances  it,  and  it  floats  away 
slowly,  setthng  lower   and    lower,  but  often 
travelling  miles   before  finally  reaching  the 
earth. 

All  manner  of  objects  may  be  attached  to 
a  parachute — notes  addressed  to  possible  find- 
ers, letters,  or  figures  of  men  or  animals.  The 
latter  look  very  odd  in  the  air. 

A  real  passenger  balloon  may  be  very 
closely  imitated  by  painting  crossed  black  lines 
upon  the  upper  part  of  a  paper  balloon  to  rep- 
resent the  net-work.  A  pasteboard  balloon- 
car,  made  after  the  manner  shown  in  Fig.  103, 
and  holding  two  pasteboard  men  cut  out  as 
shown  in  Fig.  104,  may  be  hung  on  by  hook- 


Fig.  102.  —  Para- 
chute attached  to  the 
Fuse  and  Wire. 


Summer. 


ing  the  wires  attached  to  the  car  over  the  hoop  at  the  mouth 
of  the  balloon.    When  the  balloon  and  car  are  a  little  distance 

up  in  the  air,  it  takes  a 
sharp  eye  to  detect  the 
deception,   because  dis- 
tance in  the  air  cannot  be  . 
easily  judged. 

But  so  far  we  have 
dealt  only  with  day  bal- 
loons ;  for  night,  you  must 
attach  some  luminous  ob- 
ject. 

A  lantern  made  like 
the  one  described  in 
''Kite-time"   (Fig.  29) 


Fig.  103.— The  Car. 


may  be  fastened  to  the  balloon  by  a  long  string  and  wire, 
and  when  it  goes  swinging  after  the  larger  light  above,  it  has  a 
curious  appearance.  In  a  similar  manner,  a  long  string  of  lan- 
terns may  be  hung  on  to  a  large  balloon,  or  packs  of  Chinese 
crackers  may  be  exploded 
in  mid-air  by  means  of  a 
fuse. 

The  writer  has  experi- 
mented in  other  fireworks, 
but  found  them  very  danger- 
ous to  handle.  Mr.  Stall- 
knecht,  of  the  Hat,  Cap  and 
Fur  Trade  Review,  how- 
ever, showed  the  author 
how  to  make  a  simple,  safe, 
and    beautiful    pyrotechnic  Fig.  104. -A  Couple  of  Aeronauts. 

out  of  a  Roman  candle  with  colored  balls,  a  piece  of  wire  and  a 
fuse.    The  fuse  used  can  be  bought  in  almost  any  city  or  town  ; 


Night  Balloon. 


146 


it  is  sold  to  miners  for  setting  off  blasts.  With  the  wire  make 
a  sort  of  wheel,  with  two  or  three  spokes  ;  cut  open  the  Roman 
candle  and  extract  the  powder  and  balls  ; 
wrap  up  each  ball  with  some  of  the  powder 
loosely  in  a  piece  of  tissue-paper  and  tie 
the  paper  at  the  ends  upon  the  spokes  or 
cross  wires  of  the  wheel,  as  shown  in  Fig. 
105.  Run  the  fuse  spirally  around,  pass- 
im ing  through  each  parcel  containing  a  ball, 
and  allow  the  long  end  of  the  fuse  to 
trail  down  beneath  from  the  centre  or  side 
(Fig.  106).  To  the  rim  of  the  wire  wheel 
attach  several  wires  of  equal  lengths  with 
hooked  ends  ;  hook  these  on  to  the  hoop 
at  the  mouth  of  the  balloon  just  before 
letting  it  go,  and  light  the  trailing  end 
of  the  fuse.  As  the  fire  creeps  slowly 
Fig.  105.  along,  the  balloon  mounts  higher  and 

higher.  Suddenly  the  whole 
balloon  glows  with  a  ruddy, 
lurid  glare.  The  fire  has 
reached  the  first  ball.  In 
another  instant  you  see  a 
floating  globe  of  pale  green 
light,  then  blue,  and  so  on, 
until  all  the  balls  are  con- 
sumed. Showers  of  pretty, 
jagged  sparks  are  falling  con- 
stantly during  the  illumina- 
tion, caused  by  the  burning 
powder.  By  the  time  all  is 
over  the  tiny  light  of  the 
soHtary  ball  in  the  balloon  looks  like  a  star  in  the  sky  above, 


Fig.  io5. — Fireworks. 


Fourth  of  July  Balloons. 


travelling  where  the  wind  chooses  to  blow  it.  The  most  experi- 
enced aeronaut  has  but  very  little  more  command  over  the  ac- 
tions of  his  immense  silken  air-ship  than  has  the  young  amateur 
who  builds  his  balloon  of  tissue-paper  and  sends  it  skyward 
with  a  ball  of  fire  for  its  motive  power. 


Through  the  Clouds. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


HOW  TO  CAMP  OUT  WITHOUT  A  TENT. 

The  next  best  thing  to  really  living  in  the  woods  is  talking 
over  such  an  experience.  A  thousand  Httle  incidents,  scarcely 
thought  of  at  the  time,  crowd  upon  my  mind,  and  bring  back 
with  them  the  feeling  of  freedom  and  adventure  so  dear  to  the 
heart  of  every  boy.  Shall  I  ever  enjoy  any  flavor  earth  can 
afford  as  we  did  our  coffee's  aroma  ?  The  flapjacks— how  good 
and  appetizing  !  the  fish— how  delicate  and  sweet !  And  the 
wonderful  cottage  of  boughs,  thatched  with  the  tassels  of  the 
pine— was  there  ever  a  cottage  out  of  a  fairy  tale  that  could 
compare  with  it  ? 

In  fancy  I  can  see  it  now.  There  stands  the  little  cot, 
flooded  with  the  light  of  the  setting  sun  ;  those  who  built  it  and 
use  it  for  a  habitation  are  off  exploring.  Hunting,  fishing,  and 
foraging  for  their  evening  meal,  and  the  small,  shy  creatures  of 
the  wood  take  the  opportunity  to  satisfy  the  curiosity  with 
which  they  have,  from  a  safe  distance,  viewed  the  erection  of 
so  large  and  singular  a  nest. 

The  boys  will  soon  return,  each  with  his  contribution  to  the 
larder— a  fish,  a  squirrel,  a  bird,  or  a  rabbit,  which  will  be  cooked 
and  eaten  with  better  appetite  and  enjoyment  than  the  most 
elaborate  viands  that  home  could  afford.  And  although  such 
joys  are  denied  to  me  now,  I  can,  at  least,  in  remembering 
them,  give  others  an  opportunity  to  possess  similar  pleasures. 
It  shall  be  my  object  to  describe  how  these  houses  may  be 
built  and  these  dinners  cooked,  and  that,  too,  where  there  are 


How  to  Camp  Out  without  a  Tent.  149 


Summer. 


neither  planks,  nor  nails,  nor  stoves.  To  boys  well  informed 
in  woodcraft,  only  a  few  hints  need  be  given  ;  but  for  the 
benefit  of  amateurs  we  will  go  more  into  detail. 

Four  persons  make  a  good  camping-party.  Before  arriving 
at  their  destination  these  persons  should  choose  one  of  their 
number  as  captain. 

The  captain  gives  directions  and  superintends  the  pitching 
of  the  tent  or  the  building  of  the  rustic  cottage.  The  site  for 
the  camp  should  be  upon  a  knoll,  mound,  or  rising  ground,  so 
as  to  afford  a  good  drainage.  If  the  forest  abounds  in  pine 
trees,  the  young  cottage-builder's  task  is  an  easy  one.  It  often 
happens  that  two  or  three  trees  already  standing  can  be  made 
to  serve  for  the  corners  of  the  proposed  edifice,  though  trees 
for  corners  are  not  absolutely  necessary. 

Fig.  107  represents  part  of  the  framework  of  one  of  the 
simplest  forms  of  rustic  cottage.  In  this  case,  two  trees  serve 
for  the  two  posts  of  the  rear  wall.  The  front  posts  are  young 
trees  that  have  been  cut  down  and  firmly  planted  at  about  four 
or  five  paces  in  front  of  the  trees,  as  shown  in  the  illustration. 
Enough  of  the  branches  have  been  left  adhering  to  the  trunks 
of  the  upright  posts  to  serve  as  rests  for  the  cross  bars.  To 
prevent  complication  in  the  diagram,  the  roof  is  not  shown. 
To  make  this,  fasten  on  an  additional  cross  bar  or  two  to  the 
rear  wall,  then  put  a  pole  at  each  side,  slanting  down  from  the 
rear  to  the  front,  and  cover  these  poles  with  cross  sticks. 
When  the  framework  is  finished,  the  security  and  durability 
of  the  structure  will  be  improved  by  fastening  all  the  loose 
joints,  tying  them  together  with  withes  of  willow,  grass,  or 
reeds.  The  next  step  is  to  cover  the  frame.  This  is  done  after 
the  method  shown  in  Fig.  108.  From  among  some  boughs, 
saved  for  this  purpose,  take  one  and  hang  it  upon  the  third 
crossbar,  counting  from  the  ground  up  ;  bring  the  bough  down, 
passing  it  inside  the  second  bar  and  resting  the  end  on  the 


I 


How  to  Camp  Out  without  a  Tent.  151 

ground  outside  the  first  bar ;  repeat  this  with  other  boughs  un- 
til the  row  is  finished.  Then  begin  at  the  fourth  bar,  passing 
the  boughs  down  inside  the  third  and  outside  the  second  bar, 
so  that  they  will  overlap  the  first  row.    Continue  in  this  man- 


FiG.  108.— The  way  to  Thatch. 


ner  until  the  four  walls  are  closed  in,  leaving  spaces  open  where 
windows  or  doors  are  wanted.  The  roof  is  thatched  after  the 
same  method,  beginning  at  the  front  and  working  upward  and 
backward  to  the  rear  wall,  each  row  overlapping  the  preceding- 
row  of  thatch.  The  more  closely  and  compactly  you  thatch 
the  roof  and  walls,  the  better  protection  will  they  afford  from 
any  passing  shower.  This  completed,  the  house  is  finished, 
and  you  will  be  astonished  to  see  what  a  lovely  little  green  cot 
you  have  built. 

A  cottage  may  be  built  differing  from  the  one  we  have  just 
described  by  having  the  roof  extended  so  as  to  form  a  sort  of 


\ 


152 


Summer. 


verandah,  or  porch,  in  front  ;  the  floor  of  the  porch  may  be 
covered  with  a  layer  of  pine-needles.  Should  you  find  your 
house  too  small  to  accommodate  your  party,  you  can,  by  erect- 
ing a  duplicate  cottage  four  or  five  paces  at  one  side,  and  roof- 
ing over  the  intervening  space,  have  a  house  of  two  rooms  with 
an  open  hall-way  between. 

Before  going  to  housekeeping,  some  furniture  will  be  neces- 
sary ;  and  for  this  we  propose  to  do  our  shopping  right  in  the 
neighborhood  of  our  cottage.  Here  is  our  cabinet  and  uphol- 
stery shop,  in  the  wholesome  fragrance  of  the  pines. 

After  the  labor  of  building,  your  thoughts  will  naturally  turn 
to  a  place  for  sleeping.  Cut  four  forked  sticks,  sharpen  the 
ends,  and  drive  them  firmly  into  the  ground  at  the  spot  where 
you  wish  the  bed  to  stand  in  your  room.  Two  strong  poles, 
long  enough  to  reach  lengthwise  from  fork  to  fork,  will  serve 
for  side  boards  ;  a  number  of  short  sticks  will  answer  for  slats  ; 
after  these  are  fastened  in  place  you  have  the  rustic  bedstead 
shown  in  Fig.  109.  A  good  spring  mattress  is  very  desir- 
able, and  not  difficult 
to  obtain.  Gather  a 
lot  of  small  green 
branches,  or  brush,  . 
and  cover  your  bed- 
stead with  a  layer  of 

Fig.  109. — Bedstead.  .         ,  . 

it  about  one  foot 
thick  ;  this  you  will  find  a  capital  substitute  for  springs.  For 
your  mattress  proper,  go  to  your  upholstery  shop  under  the 
pine  tree  and  gather  several  armfuls  of  the  dry  pine-needles  ; 
cover  the  elastic  brush  springs  with  a  thick  layer  of  these 
needles  ;  over  this  spread  your  India-rubber  blanket,  with  the 
rubber  side  under,  so  that  any  moisture  or  dampness  there  may 
be  in  your  mattress  may  be  prevented  from  coming  through. 
You  may  now  make  up  your  bed  with  what  wraps  or  blan- 


How  to  Camp  Out  without  a  Tent  153 

kets  you  have  with  you,  and  you  have  (Fig.  i  io)^7^^mpk7e 

and  comfortable  a  bed  as  any  forester  need  wish  for    Tn  the 

place  of  pme-needles,  hay  or  grass  may  be  used.     I  have  slept 

very  comfortably 

upon  a  brush  mat-  Jii^M^^ 

tress  covered    with  Z^^^^^Z^ 

I  would  suggest     z'^^. """T^^-r-^^^-^^^^^^^ 

means     to    tr}^    this  ^lo.— Bed  made  up. 

rustic  cabinet-making,  to  select  carefully  for  the  bed-posts  sticks 
strong  enough  to  support  the  weight  he  intends  them  to  b  ar 
o  he™,se  h,s  slumbers  may  be  interrupted  in  an  abrupt  and 
d  agreeable  manner.    My  first  experiment  in  this  line  proved 

n  atlvT "  J  ^P'"V^'  P^^'  °f  °-  buildi'g  and 

neatly  finishmg  a  bed  like  the  one  described.    After  it  was 

cTmf  TyJ  ? ^  ^"^^^li'^'  '"oked  so  soft 
trett;^.^"'^  '"^'""^  ^'^^^  ^  ---^^  -"•'^  for  bed: 

=.  *u,  ^"^^"'"^  last  story  told 

around  the  blazmg  camp-fire,  I  took  off  hat,  coat,  and  "boots 

wathedf  ^"'^  --h,  curiously 

watched  by  my  companions,  who  lay,  rolled  in  their  blankets 
upon  the  hard  ground.  It  does  not  take  a  boy  long  to  fe  i 
as  eep.  particularly  after  a  hard  day's  work  in  the  open  air  bu 
t  takes  longer,  after  being  aroused  from  a  sound  nap,  for  him 
to  get  h,s  wxts  together-especially  when  suddenly  dumped 
upon  the  ground  with  a  crash,  amid  a  heap  of  broLn  sTks 

Loud  ''h  r  '  "  '  '"'PP^"^''  *°  °"  -entful  night 
Loud  and  long  were  the  shouts  of  laughter  of  my  companfo"  ; 


Summer. 

when  they  discovered  my  misfortune.  Theoretically,  the  bed 
was  well  planned,  but  practically  it  was  a  failure,  because  it  had 
rotten  sticks  for  bed-posts. 

Having  provided  bed  and  shelter,  it  is  high  time  to  look 
after  the  inner  boy  ;  and  while  the  foragers  are  off  in  search  of 
provisions,  it -will  be  the  cook's  duty  to  provide  some  method 
of  cooking  the  food  that  will  be  brought  in. 

One  of  the  simplest  and  most  practical  forms  of  bake-oven 
can  be  made  of  clay  and  an  old  barrel.  Remove  one  head  of 
the  barrel,  scoop  out  a  space  in  the  nearest  bank,  and  fit  tne 
barrel  in  (Fig.  in).    If  the  mud  or  clay  is  not  damp  enough, 


Fig.  III.— Barrel  in  Bank. 


moisten  it  and  plaster  it  over  the  barrel  to  the  depth  of  a  foot 
or  more,  leaving  a  place  for  a  chimney  at  the  back  end,  where 
part  of  a  stave  has  been  cut  away  ;  around  this  place  build  a 
chimney  of  sticks  arranged  log-cabin  fashion  and  plastered  with 
mud  (Fig.  112).  After  this,  make  a  good,  rousing  fire  in  the 
barrel,  and  keep  adding  fuel  until  all  the  staves  are  burned  out 
and  the  surrounding  clay  is  baked  hard.    This  makes  an  oven 


How  to  Camp  Out  without  a  Tent.  155 


that  will  bake  as  well,  if  not  better,  than  any  new  patented 
stove  or  range  at  home.  To  use  it,  build  a  fire  inside  and  let 
it  burn  until  the  oven  is  thoroughly  heated,  then  rake  out  all 
the  coal  and  embers,  put  your  dinner  in  and  close  up  the  front 


Fig.  112.— Heating  the  Oven. 


With  the  head  of  the  barrel  preserved  for  this  purpose.  The 
clay  will  remain  hot  for  several  hours  and  keep  the  inside  of 
the  oven  hot  enough  to  roast  meat  or  bake  bread. 

If  there  be  no  bank  convenient,  or  if  you  have  no  barrel 
with  which  to  build  this  style  of  oven,  there  are  other  methods 
that  will  answer  for  all  the  cooking  necessary  to  a  party  of  boys 
camping  out.    Many  rare  fish  have  I  eaten  in  my  time.  The 


156 


Summer, 


delicious  pompano  at  New  Orleans,  the  brook-trout  and  gray- 
ling, fresh  from  the  cold  water  of  Northern  Michigan,  but  never 


Fig.  113.— a  Stone  Stove. 

have  I  had  fish  taste  better  than  did  a  certain  large  cat-fish  that 
we  boys  once  caught  on  a  set-hne  in  Kentucky.  We  built  a 
fire-place  of  flat  stones,  a  picture  of  which  you  have  in  Fig 
113  covered  it  with  a  thin  piece  of  slate,  cleaned  the  fish  and 
with  its  skin  still  on,  placed  it  upon  the  slate.  When  it  was 
brown  upon  one  side  we  turned  it  over  until  it  was  thoroughly 
cooked.    With  green  sticks  we  lifted  off  the  fish  and  placed  it 

upon  a  piece  of  clean  bark  ; 
the    skin  adhered  to  the 
stone,  and  the  meat  came 
Fig.  114.— a  Butter-Knife.  'y^    smoking,  snowy 

pieces,  which  we  ate  with  the  aid  of  our  pocket-knives  and 
rustic  forks  made  of  small  green  twigs  with  the  forked  ends 
sharpened. 


How  to  Camp  Out  without  a  Tent  157 

If  stones  cannot  be  had  to  answer  for  this  stove,  there  still 
remains  the  old,  primitive  camp-fire  and  pot-hook.  The  very 
sight  of  this  iron  pot  swing- 
ing over  a  blazing  fire  sug- 
gests soup,  to  eat  which 
with  any  comfort  spoons 
are  necessary.  These  are 
quickly  and  easily  made  by 
thrusting  clam  or  mussel 
shells  into  splits  made  in 
the  ends  of  sticks.  A 
splendid  butter-knife  can 
be  made  from  the  shell 
of  a  razor-oyster  with  a 
little    care    in   a  similar 

manner  (see  Fig.  1 14).  Fig.  115.— Frame  of  Rustic  Chair. 

If  you  stay  any  time  in  your  forest  home  you  can,  by  a  lit- 
tle ingenuity,  add  many  comforts  and  conveniences.    I  have 

drawn  some  diagrams,  as 
hints,  in  this  direction.  For 
instance,  Fig.  115  shows 
the  manner  of  making  an 
excellent  rustic  chair  of  two 
stout  poles  and  two  cross 
poles,  to  which  are  fastened 
the  ends  of  a  piece  of  can- 
vas, carpet  or  leather  (Fig. 
1 16), which,  swinging  loose, 
fits  itself  exactly  to  your 
form,  making  a  most  com- 
fortable easy-chair  in  which 
to  rest  or  take  a  nap  after 
a  hard  day's  tramp.    It  of- 


Fig.  116.— The  Rustic  Chair  Finished. 


158 


Summer 


ten  happens  that  the  pecuHar  formation  of  some  stump  or 
branch  suggests  new  styles  of  seats.  A  table  can  be  very 
readily  made  by  driving  four  forked  sticks  into  the  ground  for 
legs,  and  covering  the  cross  sticks  upon  the  top  with  pieces  of 
birch  or  other  smooth  bark.    Fig.  117  shows  a  table  made  in 


proves  impracticable.  This  brings  to  mind  an  incident  that  hap- 
pened to  a  party  of  young  hunters  camping  out  in  Ohio.  Early 
one  morning  one  of  the  boys  procured  from  a  distant  farm-house 
a  dozen  pretty  little  white  bantam  eggs.  Having  no  game,  and 
only  one  small  fish  in  the  way  of  fresh  meat,  the  party  congrat- 
ulated themselves  upon  the  elegant  breakfast  they  would  make 
of  fresh  eggs,  toasted  crackers,  and  coffee.  How  to  cook  the 
eggs  was  the  question.    One  of  the  party  proposed  his  plan. 

"  I  have  just  read  a  book,"  said  he,  which  tells  how  some 
travellers  cooked  fowls  and  fish  by  rolling  them  up  in  clay  and 
tossing  them  into  the  fire.  Shall  we  try  that  plan  with  the  eggs  ?  " 

The  rest  of  the  party  assented,  and  soon  all  were  busy  roll- 
ing rather  large  balls  of  blue  clay,  in  the  centre  of  each  of  which 
was  an  egg.  A  dozen  were  placed  in  the  midst  of  the  hottest 
embers,  and  the  boys  seated  themselves  around  the  fire,  impa- 
tiently waiting  for  the  eggs  to  cook.  They  did  cook — with  a 
vengeance  !  Zip,  bang  !  went  one,  then  another  and  another, 
until,  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it,  not  an  egg  remained 
unexploded ;  and  the  hot  embers  and  bits  of  clay  that  stuck  to 


this  manner,  with 
one  piece  of  bark 
removed  to  reveal 
its  construction. 


Fig.  117.— a  Camp  Table. 


As  a  general 
rule,  what  is  taught 
in  boys'  books, 
though  correct  in 
theory,  when  tried 


How  to  Camp  Old  without  a  Tent.  159 


the  boys'  hair  and  clothes  were  all  that  was  left  to  remind  them 
of  those  nice,  fresh  bantam  eggs.  It  was  all  very  funny,  but 
ever  after  the  boys  of  that  party  showed  the  greatest  caution  in 
trying  new  schemes,  no  matter  how  well  they  might  seem  to  be 
endorsed. 

Hints  to  Amateur  Campers. 

From  time  immemorial  it  has  been  the  custom  of  the  city 
fellows  to  laugh  at  their  country  cousins,  and  to  poke  all  man- 
ner of  fun  at  them  on  account  of  their  verdancy  in  regard  to 
city  manners  and  customs.  This  is  hardly  fair,  for  if  a  real 
city  fellow  be  placed  on  a  farm,  or  in  the  woods,  his  ignorance 
is  just  as  laughable  and  absurd.  It  was  only  the  other  day  I 
saw  a  young  New  York  artist  refuse  to  drink  from  a  spring 
because  something  was  bubbling  up  at  the  bottom.  Experience 
is  a  great  teacher.  Even  the  artist  just  mentioned,  after  mak- 
ing himself  sick  upon  stagnant  water,  would,  no  doubt,  learn  to 
select  bubbling  springs  in  the  future.  A  few  timely  hints  may, 
however,  prevent  many  mishaps  and  unpleasant  accidents. 

Provisions. 

It  is  always  desirable  to  take  as  large  a  stock  of  provisions 
as  can  be  conveniently  transported.  In  these  days  of  canned 
meats,  soups,  vegetables,  and  fruits,  a  large  amount  of  provi- 
sions may  be  stored  in  a  small  space.  Do  not  fail  to  take  a 
plentiful  supply  of  salt,  pepper,  and  sugar ;  also  bacon,  flour, 
meal,  grits,  or  hominy,  tea,  coffee,  and  condensed  milk.  If 
you  have  any  sort  of  luck  with  your  rod,  gun,  or  traps,  the 
forest  and  stream  ought  to  supply  fresh  meat,  and  with  the  appe- 
tite only  enjoyed  by  people  who  hve  out  doors  you  can  **Hve 
Hke  a  king." 

Shelter. 

Because  I  have  described  but  one  sort  of  shelter  my  read- 
ers must  not  suppose  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  build  a 


i6o 


cottage  like  the  one  described.  On  the  contrary,  there  are  a 
thousand  different  plans  that  will  suggest  themselves  to  fellows 
who  are  accustomed  to  camping  out.  The  huts,  or  sheds,  built 
of  slabs  "  by  some  of  the  Adirondack  hunters  are  very  con- 
venient, but  unless  the  open  ends  are  protected,  in  time  of  a 
Istorm,  the  rain  is  apt  to  drive  in  and  soak  the  inmates.  The 
jtwo  sheds  face  each  other,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  space  be- 
tween the  camp-fire  blazes,  throwing  a  ruddy  light  at  night 
into  both  compartments. 

By  taking  advantage  of  a  rock,  a  fallen  or  uprooted  tree, 
the  work  of  building  a  hut  is  ofttimes  materially  lessened. 

Tents,  of  course,  are  very  handy  and  comfortable,  and  if 
obtainable  should  by  all  means  be  used.  At  least  one  or  two 
good  sharp  hatchets  should  form  a  part  of  the  equipment  of 
every  camp  ;  it  is  astonishing,  with  their  aid  and  a  little  prac- 
tice, what  a  comfortable  hquse  may  be  built  in  a  very  short  time. 

Choosing  Companions. 

Never  join  a  camping  party  that  has  among  its  members 
a  single  peevish,  irritable,  or  selfish  person,  or  a  ''shirk." 
Although  the  company  of  such  a  boy  may  be  only  slightly  an- 
noying at  school  or  upon  the  play-ground,  in  camp  the  com- 
panionship of  a  fellow  of  this  description  becomes  unbearable. 
Even  if  the  game  fill  the  woods  and  the  waters  are  alive  with 
fish,  an  irritable  or  selfish  companion  will  spoil  all  the  fun  and 
take  the  sunshine  out  of  the  brightest  day.  The  whole  party 
should  be  composed  of  fellows  who  are  willing  to  take  things 
as  they  come  and  make  the  best  of  everything.  With  such 
companions  there  is  no  such  thing  as  "bad  luck ; "  rain  or  shine 
everything  is  always  jolly,  and  when  you  return  from  the 
woods,  strengthened  in  mind  and  body,  you  will  always  remem- 
ber with  pleasure  your  camping  experience. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


BIRD  SINGERS,  ETC. 

Very  many  amusing  contrivances  can  be  made  of  the  most 
simple  materials.  I  have  seen  boys  pluck  a  blade  of  grass,  and, 
by  simply  stretching  it  edgewise  between  their  thumbs,  make 
a  musical  instrument  with  which  they  could  imi- 
tate the  notes  of  a  singing  bird  so  closely  as  to 
perfectly  deceive  persons  not  in  the  secret.  After 
placing  the  blade  of  grass,  as  shown  by  the  illus- 
tration, put  your  lips  to  your  thumbs  at  the  hol- 
low between  the  joints  and  blow.  The  result  will 
be  a  shrill  noise  which,  with  vei-y  little  practice,  can  be  made  to 
resemble  the  notes  of  different  wild  birds. 

The  Block  Bird  Singer. 

The  illustrationXFig.  Ii8)  shows  an  instrument  made  upon 
the  same  principle  as  the  bird  singer  "  just  described.  The 
block  bird  singer  "  consists  of  two  blocks 
of  pine  small  enough  to  fit  between  the  front 
teeth  of  the  operator.  The  blocks  are  hol- 
lowed out  in  the  middle,  as  shown  by  A, 
Fig.  1 1 8. 

Stretch  a  blade  of  grass  across  the  hollow 

of  one  of  the  blocks  and  place  the  other 

block  on  top  of  it,  as  shown  by  B,  Fig.  ii8. 

Place  the  blocks  between  your  teeth,  and  by  drawing  in 

and  expelling  your  breath  you  can  produce  a  series  of  shrill 
1 1 


Summer. 


noises  which,  with  practice,  may  be  made  to  imitate  the  notes 
of  a  singing  bird.  A  thin  strip  of  writing-paper  may  be  sub- 
stituted for  the  blade  of  grass  where  the  latter  is  hard  to 
procure. 

The  Corn-stalk  Fiddle. 

The  writing  of  the  above  title  has  sent  me  back  to  my  boy- 
hood with  one  great  leap  over  the  intervening  years.  In  imag- 
ination I  am  again  a  barefooted  youngster,  with  straw  hat, 
short  pants,  and  checked  apron.  Again  I  can  experience  the 
feeling  of  pride  and  importance  as  from  my  pocket  comes  the 
well-remembered  jack-knife,  with  a  great  shining  blade  that 


FiG.'iig. — Cornstalk  Fiddle. 


Opens,  like  any  man's  knife,  with  a  snap  !  If  I  were  this  moment 
placed  in  a  particular  barn-yard  in  company  with  my  reader,  I 
could  take  him  to  the  exact  spot  where  a  pile  of  corn-stalks 
used  always  to  be  heaped  up  in  the  corner  of  the  fence.  Let 
us  suppose  we  are  there.  Select  a  good  straight  corn-stalk, 
and  with  the  shiny"  blade  of  the  jack-knife  cut  four  slits 
from  joint  to  joint,  as  shown  by  the  top  diagram,  Fig.  1 19. 
Now  out  of  that  chip  at  your  feet  make  a  wooden  bridge  like 
the  one  shown  by  A,  Fig.  119.  With  the  point  of  the  jack- 
knife  lift  up  the  three  strings  of  the  fiddle  and  slide  the  bridge 
under  them  edgewise  ;  then  gently,  but  firmly,  raise  it  to  an 
upright  position  and  spread  the  strings  apart,  allowing  them 
to  fit  into  the  notches  cut  for  the  purpose  in  the  bridge  (see 
lower  diagram.  Fig.  119).  Make  the  bow  of  a  smaller  corn- 
stalk than  that  used  for  the  fiddle.    No  tune  can  be  played 


Bird  Singers^  Etc. 


163 


upon  this  instrument,  but  a  funny  squeaking  noise  can  be  pro- 
duced. 

The  squeak  of  the  corn-stalk  fiddle  brings  to  my  mind 
another  rustic  instrument. 

The  Pumpkin-vine  Fife. 

Cut  a  good  thick,  straight  pumpkin-stem  and  make  holes  in 
it  like  those  in  a  fife.  If  you  know  how  to  blow  on  a  fife  you 
may  not  only  produce  a  noise  with  the  pumpkin-  -^-.r-,^,-^^-.^ 
stem,  but  a  tune  may  be  played  upon  this  simple 
instrument  which,  even  if  only  partially  successful, 
will  amuse  your  hearers  to  that  degree  that  you 
will  feel  yourself  amply  repaid  for  the  trouble. 

A  Pumpkin- vine  Flute. 

Cut  off  a  long  leaf-stem  like  the  one  shown  in 
the  illustration  (Fig.  120).  With  the  blade  of  your 
knife  make  a  slit  (A,  B)  through  both  sides  of  the 
stem.  Then  at  the  base  of  the  leaf,  in  the  soHd 
part  just  beyond  the  end  of  the  hollow  in  the  stem, 
cut  off  the  stem  at  C,  D.  By  putting  this  end  in 
the  mouth  and  blowing,  a  noise  will  be  produced, 
deep  and  sonorous,  sounding  like  a  distant  steam- 
boat's whistle.  Holes  may  be  cut  for  the  fingers 
similar  to  those  just  described  for  the  fife. 

If  one  stem  fails  to  work,  cut  another  and  try 
it  until  you  succeed.  The  pumpkin-vine  flute, 
like  the  corn-stalk  fiddle,  will  amuse  small  boys, 
but  if  my  reader  does  not  belong  to  that  class  he 
may  make  of  a  piece  of  fishing-cane  a  first-rate 
fife. 

Cane  Fife. 

The  fishing-pole  being  much  harder  material  than  the  succu- 
lent pumpkin-vine  stem,  is  proportionally  more  difficult  to  cut. 


Fig.  120. — A 
Pumpkin  -  vine 
Flute. 


164 


3)  Of 


If  you  can,  borrow  a  real  fife  ;  select  a  piece  of  cane  of  about  the 
same  size,  and  cut  the  holes  in  one  side  of  the  cane,  at  the  same 
distance  apart  as  those  in  the  real  fife.  Any  hollow  stick  of 
the  proper  size  will  answer  as  a  substitute  for  the  piece  of  fish- 
ing-pole. 

The  Voice  Disguiser 

is  made  of  a  piece  of  corn-stalk  about  three  inches  long.  After 
removing  the  pith  cut  a  notch  near  each  end,  as  shown  in  the 
illustration,  upon  opposite  sides  of  the  corn-stalk  ;  upon  the 

ends  stretch  a  piece  of  fish-bladder, 
any  thin  membrane ;  a  piece 
thin  tracing-paper  will  answer. 
With  a  large  pin  make  a  hole  in 
each  piece  of  membrane,  as  shown 
at  A  in  the  illustration.  Now  cover 
the  notch,  cut  into  the  corn-stalk, 

Voice  Disguiser.  ^.^j^  ^^^^  ^^^^^  j^^^j^  .  ^-^^ 

noise  you  produce  will  set  you  laughing  in  earnest.  By  placing 
your  mouth  over  either  of  the  notches  and  talking  or  singing, 
the  voice  is  so  changed  as  to  be  perfectly  disguised,  and  if  you 
sing  a  song  through  this  instrument  it  sounds  like  some  one 
playing  on  a  comb  covered  with  paper.  The  voice  disguiser  is 
very  handy  in  Punch  and  Judy  or  puppet  shows. 

The  Locust  Singer. 

This  little  instrument,  simple  as  it  is,  is  calculated  to  afford 
considerable  amusement. 

With  one  of  these  toys  can  be  made  not  only  a  loud  noise, 
which  in  itself  pleases  most  boys,  but  it  reproduces  exactly  the 
sound  of  the  cicada,  or  locust,"  as  the  harvest-fly  is  commonly 
but  improperly  called.  The  locust  singer,"  as  may  be  seen 
by  reference  to  the  illustration,  consists  of  a  horse-hair  with  a 


Bird  Singers^  Etc, 


j 

165  ' 


The  Locust  Singer. 


1 66 


Summer. 


loop  at  one  end  and  a  weight  attached  to  the  other  end.  A  j 
pine  stick,  with  a  groove  cut  around  it  near  the  top,  is  thrust  | 
through  the  loop  of  horse-hair,  and  the  groove  in  the  stick  ; 
thickly  covered  with  powdered  rosin. 

When  the  weight  is  swung  rapidly  around,  the  horse-hair, 
in  sliding  over  the  rosined  stick,  produces  a  noise  which  closely 
resembles  the  well-known  song  of  the  harvest-fly.    If  a  tin  pill-  i 
box  is  used  for  a  weight  and  the  hair  run  through  a  hole  in  the 
lid  and  fastened  by  a  knot  upon  the  inside,  the  lid  of  the  box 
acts  as  a  sort  of  sounding-board.    A  piece  of  parchment  or  * 
paper  is  sometimes  pasted  over  the  box  tightly,  like  a  drum-  i 
head,  and  the  hair  attached  to  this  ;  but  a  little  stone  wrapped  ' 
in  a  piece  of  cloth  answers  every  purpose.  I 

A  piece  of  kid,  from  a  discarded  glove,  tied  tightly  over  the  j 
top  of  a  bottle-head,  makes  a  loud-voiced  locust  singer.    The  i 
head  of  the  bottle  may  easily  be  removed,  by  striking  repeated 
blows  with  a  case-knife  on  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  at  the  desired  ; 
point  of  separation. 

The  Hummer. 

This  is  somewhat  similar  to  the  toy  just  described,  but  even  j 
more  simple  in  construction.    It  consists  of  a  piece  of  shingle 
about  an  inch  and  one-half  wide  and  five  or  six  inches  long, 
with  a  string  attached  to  one  end.    When  the  hummer  is  swung 
around  the  head  it  makes  a  loud,  buzzing  noise. 

J 
I 


1 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


BIRD  NESTING. 
How  to  Collect  and  Preserve  Eggs. 

As  regular  as  the  seasons,  is  the  flight  of  our  feathered  sum- 
mer visitors  ;  and  their  wonderful  Httle  nests  can  be  found,  by 
those  who  choose  to  look  for  them,  in  all  manner  of  situations— 
in  the  grass,  in  the  shrubs,  in  the  trees,  on  the  barren  moor,  on 
the  face  of  the  rocky  cliff,  in  the  sand  banks,  high  up  in  the 
church  steeple,  under  the  low,  overhanging  eaves  of  the  farm 
house   or   among   the    rafters   of  the   hay-loft.      Even  the 
very  chimneys  of  the  dwellings  are  invaded  by  birds  in  search 
of  a  safe  retreat  where  they  can  rear  their  little  families  undis- 
turbed.   Professor  Rennie,  in  speaking  of  the  apparent  me- 
chanical knowledge  displayed  by  birds  in  the  construction  of  their 
nests,  says  :     This  work  is  the  business  of  their  lives — the  duty 
which  calls  forth  that  wonderful  ingenuity  which  no  experience 
can  teach  and  which  no  human  skill  can  rival.    The  infinite  va- 
riety of  modes  in  which  nests  of  birds  are  constructed,  and  the 
exquisite  adaptation  of  the  nests  to  the  pecuHar  habits  of  the 
individual,  offer  a  subject  of  almost  exhaustless  interest."    I  trust 
not  one  of  my  readers  belong  to  that  class  of  boys  who  wan- 
tonly destroy  and  pillage  birds'  nests,  for  which  offence  against 
good  taste  and  good  sense  it  is  hard  to  find  language  strong 
enough  to  use  in  condemnation.    Nor  is  it  proper  to  start  a 
collection  of  birds'  eggs  as  the  fancy  seizes  you,  to  amuse 
yourself  for  a  time,  afterward  allowing  the  eggs  to  become 
broken  and  forgotten.    If  you  really  wish  to  make  a  collection 
of  eggs  for  the  purpose  of  study,  there  is  no  harm  in  taking  a 


1 68 


few  nests  and  eggs  for  your  cabinet.  There  are  clauses  in  the 
game  laws  of  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  States,  which  grant  excep- 
tional privileges  to  collectors  for  scientific  purposes. 

Eggs  should  be  "  blown,"  or  emptied  of  their  contents,  as 
soon  as  collected,  the  empty  shells  being  much  less  liable  to  break 
than  the  unblown  egg.  To  blow  eggs  you  should  have  an  egg- 
drill  and  blow-pipe,  but  if  such  instruments  are  out  of  your 
reach  a  pin  will  answer  for  a  drill  and  your  lips  for  the  blow-pipe. 
Make  a  very  small  hole  in  each  end  of  the  egg,  and  taking  it 
gently  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger,  place  one  hole  to  the 
lips  ;  then  blow,  not  too  hard,  but  steadily,  until  the  contents 
come  out  of  the  hole  at  the  other  end. 

The  use  of  the  blow-pipe  and  drill  not  only  simplifies  the 
operation  and  lessens  the  chances  of  breaking  the  eggs,  but  it 
also  makes  much  neater  specimens.  Hold  the  egg  firmly,  but. 
gently,  with  its  ends  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the 
left  hand.  Apply  the  point  of  the  drill  to  the  middle  of  one 
side,  and,  by  imparting  a  twirling  motion  to  the  instrument, 
drill  a  hole  in  the  egg-shell,  filing  away  the  shell  gradually  until 
the  opening  is  large  enough  to  admit  the  end  of  the  blow-pipe, 
which  should  fit  in  the  hole  loosely,  so,  that  when  the  egg  is 
"  blown"  the  contents  of  the  shell  may  escape  around  the  end 
of  the  pipe.  Hold  the  egg  in  the  left  hand,  with  the  hole  down- 
ward ;  insert  the  small  end  of  the  blow-pipe  into  the  hole  just 
drilled.  It  is  often  a  good  plan  to  force  water  into  the  shell 
through  the  blow-pipe,  and  after  all  the  contents  have  been 
ejected  to  thoroughly  rinse  out  the  shell. 

The  drying  is  an  important  part  of  the  proceeding  ;  for  this 
purpose  the  egg  is  usually  placed  in  sand,  bran  or  meal.  Some 
authorities  claim  that  this  is  wrong,  as  the  substances  are  apt 
to  cake  around  the  hole,  where  they  become  damp  from  the 
moisture  absorbed.  I  have  often  found  it  difficult  to  remove 
the  caked  meal  without  injuring  the  shell.    A  recent  writer 


Bird  Nesting. 


169 


suggests  setting  the  eggs,  hole  downward,  upon  a  piece  of  blot- 
ting-paper or  a  soft  cloth.  The  paper  or  cloth  not  only  absorbs 
the  moisture  without  sticking  to  the  shell,  but,  being  soft  and 
yielding,  the  eggs  may  be  rolled  about  with  no  fear  of  breaking, 
and  they  may  be  dried  in  this  manner  thoroughly,  without 
rubbing  off  the  color  or  destroying  the  "bloom"  peculiar  to 
nicely  preserved  specimens. 

A  cabinet  of  eggs  is  not  only  an  interesting  object,  but  if  the 
owner  has  collected  them  himself,  he  must  necessarily  acquire 
an  amount  of  scientific  knowledge  that  will  not  only  at  once  make 
him  an  authority  upon  ornithology,  even  among  learned  men, 
but  at  the  same  time  put  him  ahead  of  all  the  boys  in  wood-craft. 

Eggs  may  be  kept  in  boxes  filled  with  bran  or  cotton,  or 
they  may  be  gummed  on  cards  and  the  name  of  the  bird  and 
date  of  the  collection  written  underneath;  but  probably  the 
best  way  is  to  keep  them  in  a  chest  of  shallow  drawers  made 
for  the  purpose. 

As  soon  as  an  egg  is  collected,  number  it  with  a  lead  pencil, 
and  under  a  duphcate  figure  in  a  note-book  write  the  number 
of  eggs  that  were  in  the  nest,  the  date  of  the  collection,  name 
or  supposed  name  of  the  bird,  with  any  and  all  other  remarks 
of  interest. 

Birds'  Nests. 

A  collection  of  nests  makes  an  ornamental  and  interesting 
addition  to  a  cabinet,  and  some  very  curious  nests  may  be  found. 
The  two-story  nest  of  the  summer  yellowbird  is  always  an  ad- 
dition, especially  if  both  compartments  contain  eggs. 

The  summer  yellowbirds,  though  confiding  little  creatures, 
are  not  readily  duped  or  imposed  upon.  Their  instinct  is  suffi- 
ciently near  reason  for  them  to  detect  the  difference  between 
their  own  little  fragile,  prettily  marked,  greenish-colored  eggs 
and  the  great  dark-colored  ones  the  vagabond  cow  blackbird 
has  surreptitiously  smuggled  into  the  cosey  nest.   The  domestic 


170 


Summer. 


little  couple  cling  to  the  spot  selected  for  their  house  and  will 
not  leave  it ;  neither  will  they  hatch  the  obnoxious  eggs,  which 
they  are  apparently  unable  to  throw  out ;  but  the  difficulty  is 
soon  surmounted,  and  so  are  the  gratuitous  eggs,  for  the  yel- 
lowbirds  proceed  at  once  to  cover  up  the  cow  blackbird's  eggs, 
constructing  a  new  nest  on  top  of  the  old  one,  building  a  sec- 
ond s'tory  to  their  house. 

Last  summer  Mr.  Lang  Gibson  brought  me  one  of  these 
two-story  nests  which  he  found  at  Flushing,  L.  L  ;  the  lower 
nest  contained  two  cow  blackbird's  eggs,  and  the  upper  one 
three  eggs  of  the  summer  yellowbird.  Gibson  watched  the 
construction  of  the  nest.  Visiting  it  again  after  it  was  finished, 
he  discovered  the  egg  of  a  cow  blackbird.  Next  day  two  of 
these  eggs  occupied  the  nest.  Some  time  afterward,  to  his 
surprise,  he  found  the  nest  contained  three  eggs  of  the  yellow- 
bird  and  no  signs  of  the  existence  of  those  deposited  by  the 
blackbird,  but  the  nest  had  the  appearance  of  being  much  taller 
than  at  first,  and  an  examination  disclosed  it  to  be  a  two -story 
nest,  the  lower  compartment  containing  two  cow-birds'  eggs, 
and  the  upper  part  three  yellowbirds'  eggs.  Since  writing  the 
above,  the  same  young  collector  presented  me  with  another 
double  nest.  This  time  both  nests  were  inhabited  and  con- 
tained eggs  ;  the  lower  story  is  a  meadow  wren's  nest  wdth  an 
entrance  on  one  side,  and  the  upper  one  is  the  nest  of  the  red- 
winged  or  swamp  blackbird.  The  eggs  in  both  compartments 
were  warm  when  discovered,  which  proves  that  they  were  fresh 
and  that  the  old  birds  had  not  long  been  absent. 

Preserving  Nests. 

Nests  made  of  woollen  fibres  must  be  dusted  with  fine  to- 
bacco, snuff,  or  camphor,  to  keep  the  moths  out.  .  Nests  made 
of  sticks,  straws,  etc.,  will  not  be  attacked  by  insects,  and  need 
no  preparation  to  preserve  them. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


HOW  TO  REAR  WILD  BIRDS. 
Robins,  Thrushes,  Wrens,  and  other  Small  Birds. 

Learn  the  habits  of  any  creatnre,  and  give  it  a  chance  to 
follow  them,  and  you  will  fijtd  but  little  dif^culty  in  keeping 
tt  healthy  in  confinement.  ^ 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  it  is  a  sin  to  keep  wild  birds 
111  confinement;  for  when  their  wants  are  understood  and 
attended  to  with  any  degree  of  care,  the  little  creatures  soon 
learn  to  love  their  cage,  and  will,  more  than  likely,  return  to  it 
of  their  own  free  will,  if  by  accident  or  design  they  are  set  at 
liberty.  When  you  hear  it  said  that  it  is  impossible  to  domes- 
ticate this  or  that  bird,  remember  that  the  staid  old  barn-yard 
fowl  IS  descended  from  a  bird  as  wild  and  shy  as  any  that  inhab- 
its the  far  Western  forests.  You  need  not  hesitate  to  attempt 
to  rear  and  tame  any  bird  that  runs  or  flies,  provided  that 
you  are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  its  habits  when  in  a  wild 
state. 

Care  should  be  taken  to  observe  the  food  with  which  the 
parent  birds  feed  their  young,  and  if  the  natural  food  is  diffi- 
cult to  obtain,  a  healthy  substitute  can  often  be  discovered  by 
experiment.  Do  not  try,  however,  to  force  a  young  bird  to 
eat  that  which  appears  distasteful  to  it,  nor  must  it  be  forced  to 
eat  when  not  hungry.  The  feathered  babies,  as  a  rule,  are  very 
greedy,  and  will  open  wide  their  mouths  as  soon  as  they  hear 
any  one  approach,  so  that  it  is  only  necessary  to  drop  the  food 
between  the  widespread  bills  as  often  as  they  are  opened  - 


172 


Sttimner. 


Squabs. 

Doves  and  pigeons,  when  young,  do  not  open  their  mouths 
like  other  birds,  but  they  will  keep  their  bills  firmly  closed 
and  run  them  between  your  fingers,  flapping  their  wings  and 
making  a  whistling  noise. 

To  feed  a  squab,  its  mouth  must  be  opened  by  taking  the 
sides  of  the  bill  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  left 
hand,  and  gently  pinching  it  at  the  base  until  the  mouth  opens  ; 
then  push  an  oblong  pellet  of  bread  softened  with  milk  be- 
tween the  mandibles.  You  will  always  be  successful  in  rearing 
squabs  in  this  manner.  Bread  softened  with  sweet  milk,  or 
boiled  potatoes  mixed  with  eggs,  is  a  healthy  diet  for  many 
young  birds. 

The  prepared  food  sold  at  bird-stores  under  the  name  of 
mocking-bird  food  I  have  discovered  to  be  almost  universally 
relished  by  insectivorous  birds  after  they  are  old  enough  to 
feed  themselves.  As  soon  as  a  young  bird  can  hop  around, 
supply  it  with  plenty  of  water  to  bathe  in,  at  least  once  or  twice 
a  day  ;  if  you  keep  your  pet's  surroundings  neat,  the  bird  will 
not  fail  to  keep  its  little  person  tidy  and  trim.  The  ground  or 
grass  finch  will  not  bathe  in  water,  but  performs  his  ablutions 
in  dust  or  fine  sand,  and  a  supply  of  sand  should  be  provided. 

The  Cow  Blackbird. 

There  is  often  a  third  party  interested  in  the  construction 
of  all  small  birds'  nests — a  homeless,  happy-go-lucky  Bohemian 
bird,  who  has  a  sort  of  tramp's  interest  in  the  housekeeping 
arrangements  of  most  of  the  smaller  feathered  denizens  of 
copse  and  wood.  This  is  the  well-known  cow  blackbird,  who 
disdains  to  shackle  her  freedom  with  the  care  of  a  family,  and 
.shifts  a  mother's  responsibihty  by  farming  her  progeny  out, 
while  she  seeks  the  incongruous  but  apparently  congenial  com- 


How  to  Rem^  Wild  Birds.  173 


panionship  of  the  cattle,  with  whom  she  appears  to  be  on  the 
most  intimate  terms. 

The  cow-bird  deposits  its  eggs  indiscriminately  among  the 
nests  of  smaller  birds.  The  blackbird's  eggs  generally  hatch 
out  a  day  or  two  before  the  adopted  mother's  own  eggs,  so 
when  the  legitimate  members  of  the  family  do  come,  It  is  to 
find  their  nest  already  occupied  by  the  strong,  lusty  interlopers, 
who,  on  account  of  their  superior  size  and  strength,  come  in 
for  the  lion's  share  of  all  the  food  brought  to  the  nest.  Thus 
the  innocent  parents  rear  the  ahens,  while  their  own  young 
starve.  It  is  really  a  pitiable  sight  to  see  a  couple  of  little 
greenlets  anxiously  searching  from  daybreak  till  evening  for 
food  to  fill  the  capacious  crop  of  one  or  more  young  cow  black- 
birds considerably  larger  than  the  greenlets  themselves. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  young  cow-bird  is  an  inveterate 
gormandizer,  and  you  cannot  supply  it  with  enough  food  to 
stop  its  cries  for  more.  True  to  its  instinct,  when  its  craw  is 
crammed  to  its  utmost  extent,  the  young  pauper  will  still  cry 
for  more  and  open  wide  its  mouth,  for  fear  its  foster  brothers  and 
sisters  should  receive  some  share  of  the  food.  The  blackbird 
wastes  all  it  cannot  eat,  deliberately  throwing  the  food  away  by 
a  sudden  jerk  of  the  head. 

Wrens,  Sparrows,  and  Finches. 

Feed  young  wrens,  sparrows,  and  finches  upon  chopped 
worms  and  the  soft  parts  of  grasshoppers.  As  soon  as  their 
bills  become  hard  enough  the  finches  and  sparrows  may  be  fed 
upon  bird  seed  that  can  be  procured  at  any  bird  store. 

The  Bobolink. 

Feed  young  bobolinks  upon  the  soft  parts  of  grasshoppers, 
and  as  they  grow  older  and  become  inclined  to  corpulency,  do 
not  let  them  have  too  much  to  eat,  or  they  will  kill  themselves. 


174 


Summer. 


The  Catbird. 

The  catbird  resembles  the  mocking--bird  so  closely  in  its 
habits  that  it  may  be  reared  upon  exactly  the  same  food.  I 
have  made  several  successful  attempts  at  rearing  catbirds,  and 
find  them  apiusing  and  lively  pets.  One  bird,  that  bore  the 
name  of  Greedy,"  would  when  called  fly  from  the  top  of  the 
tallest  tree  and  alight  upon  my  head  or  shoulder.  The  catbird 
will  attempt  to  mimic  almost  every  sound  it  hears.  There  is 
at  present  a  couple  of  these  birds  which  have  a  nest  near  my 
window.  Here  they  build  year  after  year,  they  have  become 
quite  tame,  and  the  male  bird  has  learned  the  first  two  notes 
of  a  bugle-call  ;  it  is  very  amusing  to  hear  him  struggle  to 
master  the  rest  of  the  call.  When  I  whistle  it  to  him,  he  sits  on 
his  favorite  perch,  a  low  limb  of  a  peach-tree,  and  holding  his 
head  to  one  side,  patiently  waits  until  the  call  is  finished ;  then 
filling  his  lungs,  he  gives  the  first  two  notes  with  remarkable 
clearness,  hesitates  a  moment  as  if  undecided  what  to  do  next, 
and  ends  in  a  wild  burst  of  song.  Often  the  bird  will  practise 
in  a  low  key  for  ten  minutes  at  a  time,  but  as  soon  as  he  sees 
that  he  is  observed  he  will  commence  the  scolding  cat-cry  from 
which  these  birds  derive  their  name.  The  catbird  or  black- 
capped  thrush  requires  a  large  cage  and  plenty  of  water  for 
bathing  purposes.  A  food  preparation,  pubHshed  first,  I  think, 
in  Harper  s  Bazar,  consists  of  two-fifths  pounded  cracker, 
two-fifths  oatmeal,  and  one-fifth  hard-boiled .  egg ;  to  be 
thoroughly  mixed  with  equal  proportions  of  milk  and  water 
until  it  is  of  the  consistency  of  fresh  bread. 


Robins 

are  as  easily  domesticated  as  the  catbird,  and  can  be  fed  upon 
almost  the  same  food.  Fruit  in  season  is  always  relished  by 
Bob,  and  he  will  kill  himself  eating  it  if  the  quantity  is  not  re- 


How  to  Rear  JVild  Birds.  175 


stricted.  A  robin  that  the  writer  once  owned  would  eat  a  large 
slice  of  watermelon  down  to  the  green  rind  in  a  single  day. 
Feed  the  young  birds  upon  the  soft  parts  of  the  grasshopper, 
white  grub  worms,  and  chopped  angle-worms,  or  if  such  food 
cannot  be  obtained,  use  the  yolk  of  hard-boiled  eggs  mixed 
with  stale  wheat  bread  made  into  a  paste  with  a  little  milk  or 
water.  When  the  bird  grows  older  the  following  preparation 
may  be  given  :  One-third  stale  wheat  bread  well  soaked  in 
water  and  pressed,  one-third  dry  grated  carrot,  one-sixth  of 
hard-boiled  egg,  and  one-sixth  of  bruised  hemp-seed.  Mix 
well  into  a  paste. 

^  Robins  will  acquire  a  taste  for  many  dishes  which  in  their 
wild  state  they  could  never  have  eaten.  One  bird  described 
by  a  writer  in  the  Science  Nezvs  became  very  fond  of  hot 
doughnuts  and  other  equally  strange  diet. 

The  Brown  Thrush,  or  Thrasher. 

•  Every  country  boy  is  familiar  with  -  the  long-tailed  thrush  " 
as  they  call  this  bird,  and  all  of  them  know  what  a  graceful  bird 
he  is,  while,  strange  to  say,  but  few  know  that  he  is  an  excel- 
lent song  bird,  little  inferior  to  the  mocking-bird  in  that  re- 
spect. The  brown  thrush  makes  a  good  cage  bird,  and  can  be 
reared  and  kept  upon  the  same  food  as  that  just  described  for 
the  robin  ;  their  nests  are  generally  found  in  low  bushes  among 
the  thickets  skirting  cultivated  ground. 

The  Wood  Thrush 

is  of  a  bright  brown  upon  the  back,  with  a  light  speckled 
breast  and  a  much  shorter  tail  than  the  thrasher.  Why 
this  bird  is  called  the  wood  thrush,  is  a  question  ;  around  Flush- 
ing, L.  I.,  it  is  seldom,  if  ever,  seen  in  the  woods  proper  but  in 
the  ornamental  trees  on  the  lawns  and  the  shade  trees  ih  the 


176 


Slimmer. 


streets  of  the  village  this  bird  makes  his  home.  His  song, 
though  rich  and  full,  is  short.  The  wood  thrush  is  easily  kept 
in  captivity,  and  makes  a  valuable  addition  to  an  aviary.  The 
young  may  be  reared  upon  the  same  food  as  that  described  for 
the  catbird. 

Bluebirds 

are  pretty  little  creatures,  making  their  appearance  in  the  early 
spring.  They  build  their  nests  in  hollow  trees,  knot-holes, 
or  bird-houses  erected  for  that  purpose,  and  have  been  known 
to  build  in  a  dove-cot,  but  since  the  introduction  of  that 
noisy  little  street  gamin,  the  English  sparrow,  the  bluebirds 
have  mostly  deserted  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the 
dwelHngs,  and  may  be  found  in  the  orchards  and  other  safe  re- 
treats. The  bluebird  makes  an  excellent  pet,  is  of  a  lovable 
disposition,  and  will  not  associate  with  other  birds  except  of 
its  own  kind. 

Use  about  the  same  food  as  that  described  for  robins. 

The  Summer  Yellowbird. 

While  the  expanding  leaves  of  tree  and  shrub  retain  the 
tender  tints  of  pink,  and  the  broad  lily-pads  commence  to 
mosaic  the  surface  of  the  ponds  with  green,  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  bursting  bud  and  opening  flower  comes  the  summer 
yellowbird,  and  from  hedge  and  bush  may  be  heard  his  song, 
as  simple  and  pleasing  as  the  tasteful  but  modest  plumage  that 
covers  his  little  person.  Almost  immediately  after  the  first  ap- 
pearance of  these  industrious  little  birds  they  commence  their 
preparations  for  housekeeping.  The  male  bird  flies  busily 
about  selecting  such  material  as  feathers,  plants,  fibres,  the 
furze  from  ferns,  the  catkins  from  willows,  and  other  similar 
objects,  all  of  which  he  brings  to  his  mate,  who  arranges  and 
fashions  their  delicate  nest.   So  quickly  and  deftly  does  this  little 


How  to  Rear  IVild  Birds. 


177 


couple  labor  that  they  build  the  greater  part  of  their  house  in 
a  single  day. 

The  author  has  never  attempted  to  rear  the  summer  yellow- 
bird,  nor  has  he  ever  seen  one  in  confinement ;  but  there  is  no 
reason  why  this  beautiful  warbler  should  not  make  as  good  a 
cage-bird  as  any  other  feathered  songster.  You  may  feed  the 
young  upon  the  soft  parts  of  grasshoppers  and  soft  grubs.  This 
much  can  be  learned  by  watching  the  parent  birds  attending  to 
the  wants  of  their  tiny  offspring. 

The  Bluejay 

is  a  noisy,  showy  bird  of  brilliant  plumage,  with  a  pretty  crest 
upon  its  head  ;  the  bill  is  black  ;  the  back  and  wings  different 
shades  of  blue,  with  black  stripes  ;  throat,  cheeks,  and  breast 
light  gray  ;  a  black  ring  around  his.  neck  extends  hke  a  collar 
down  to  his  chest. 

Although  the  jay  is  no  musician  he  is  an  excellent  mimic, 
and  can  be  taught  to  crow  like  a  cock,  bark  like  a  dog,  and  to 
whistle  a  tune  ;  he  is  a  large,  handsome  bird,  and  looks  well  in  a 
cage.  The  only  young  one  the  writer  ever  had  was  one  that  had 
just  left  its  nest.  It  was  caught  in  an  orchard,  and  thrived 
upon  grubs  and  worms  of  all  sorts.  Either  the  food  described 
for  the  robin  or  the  catbird  ought  to  answer  also  for  the  blue- 
jay;  an  occasional  spoonful  of  raw  egg  is  relished  by  a  young  jay. 

Want  of  space  will  prevent  the  enumeration  of  all  the  feath- 
ered creatures  that'make  their  home  in  our  forests  and  orchards  ; 
but  this  chapter  will  be  incomplete  if  it  contains  no  mention 
of  that  most  lovely  of  all  American  birds,  the  little  feathered 
mite  called  a 

Humming- Bird. 

Even  if  captured  when  full  grown,  this  delicate  little  crea- 
ture can  be  tamed  in  a  remarkably  short  time. 


178 


Summer. 


Although  the  writer  has  been  fortunate  enough  to  find  several 
Httle  bunches  of  the  cotton-hke  substance  which  forms  the  nest 
of  the  humming-bird,  he  has  captured  but  one  young  bird  ; 
that  one  was  discovered  disconsolately  peeping  as  it  sat  upon  a 
smooth  stone  in  the  middle  of  a  Kentucky  stream.  Upon  the 
overhanging  branch  of  a  button-wood  tree  there  was  a  little 
lump  which  was  at  once  recognized  as  a  humming-bird's  nest, 
but  so  closely  did  it  approach  the  branch  in  texture  and  color, 
that  it  might  have  been  passed  by  unobserved  had  it  not  been 
for  the  otherwise  unaccountable  appearance  of  the  little  feath- 
ered midget  upon  the  stone  directly  under  it.  The  young  bird, 
when  picked  up,  did  not  offer  to  fly,  but  opened  its  long,  slen- 
der bill  and  made  a  peeping  noise,  eagerly  swallowing  some 
little  insects  that  were  put  into  its  mouth.  It  was  not  long  be- 
fore the  parent  birds  commenced  buzzing  around  the  author's 
head  like  enraged  bumble-bees  ;  they  even  flew  against  his 
face,  nor  did  they  leave  him  until  he  had  set  their  offspring  free. 
A  writer  in  Chambers  s  Journal  m'^ow  this  subject  says  : 
**Itwas  long  thought  that  humming-birds  would  not  live 
in  confinement;  and  this  idea  is  so  far  correct  that,  although 
easily  tamed,  they  will  not  live  long  in  captivity  if  fed  only 
on  syrup.  If  confined  to  this  food  they  die  in  a  month  or  two, 
apparently  starved  ;  whereas,  if  kept  in  a  small  room,  the  win- 
dows of  which  are  covered  with  fine  net,  so  as  to  allow  insects 
to  enter,  they  may  be  preserved  for  a  considerable  time  in 
health  and  beauty.  Their  nests  are  very  curious  ;  many  of 
them  are  cup-shaped  and  very  small,  sometimes  no  larger  than 
the  half  of  a  walnut  shell ;  and  they  are  often  beautifully  deco- 
rated on  the  outside  with  lichens,  so  as  exactly  to  resemble  the 
branch  in  the  fork  of  which  they  are  placed.  They  are  formed 
of  cottony  substances,  and  are  lined  inside  with  fibres  as  fine 
and  soft  as  silk.  The  nests  of  other  species  are  hammock- 
shaped,  and  are  suspended  to  creepers;  the  Pichincha  hum- 


How  to  Rear  IVild  Birds. 


179 


ming-bird  has  been  known  to  attach  its  nest  to  a  straw-rope 
hanging  in  a  shed  ;  their  eggs  are  white,  and  they  never  lay 
more  than  one  or  two.  Once,  when  on  the  Amazon,  Mr. 
Wallace  had  a  nest  of  young  humming-birds  brought  to  him, 
which  he  tried  to  feed  on  syrup,  supposing  that  they  would  be 
fed  on  honey  by  their  parents.  To  his  surprise,  however,  they 
not  only  would  not  swallow  the  liquid,  but  nearly  choked  them- 
selves in  their  efforts  to  eject  it.  He  then  caught  some  very 
small  flies,  and  dropped  one  into  the  wide-open  mouth  of  the 
poor  little  orphan  humming  bird  ;  it  closed  instantly  with  a 
satisfied  gulp,  and  opened  again  for  more.  The  Httle  creatures, 
he  found,  demanded  fifteen  or  twenty  flies  each  in  succession 
before  they  were  satisfied  ;  and  the  process  of  feeding  and  fly- 
catching  together  required  so  much  time  that  he  was  reluctantly 
compelled  to  abandon  them  to  their  fate." 

The  Illustration  has  been  drawn  by  the  writer  from  a  com- 
pound yellowbird's  nest.  The  upper  story  or  nest  is  partly 
Hfted  so  as  to  show  the  cow  blackbird's  eggs  in  the  nest  below. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


HOW  TO  REAR  WILD  BIRDS— Continued. 

The  Crow,  Hawk,  and  other  Large  Birds. 

A  FUZZY  topknot  sur- 
mounting  a  head  too 
heavy  for  the  slender  neck 
to  hold  upright ;  large, 
protruding  eyes  protect- 
ed by  lids  that  are  tightly 
gummed  together  ;  a  blu- 
ish black  skin,  with  no 
feathers  to  hide  the  wrin- 
kles ;  a  large  paunch  like 
an  alderman.  Such  is  the 
appearance  of  a  very, 
young  crow ;  and  after  a 
glance  at  the  accompany- 
ing sketch,  drawn  from 
nature,  the  reader  will  no  doubt  agree  with  the  writer  in  calling 
it  the  worst  looking  **  baby  in  the  woods,"  and  if  mischief  be 
a  sign  of  badness,  then  ^'Jim  Crow"  does  not  behe  his  looks. 
He  is  especially  comical  when  his  great  blood-red  mouth  is 
expanded  to  its  utmost  dimension  in  expectancy  as  he  awaits 
a  morsel  of  food. 

Of  all  our  native  birds  the  crow  is  probably  the  hardiest, 
and  the  least  trouble  to  bring  up  by  hand.    Almost  any  kind 


"  I  want  my  Ma !  " 


How  to  Rear  Wild  Birds.  i8i 

of  soft  food,  bread  and  milk,  corn  meal  mush,  grub  worms,  raw 
lean  meat,  or  raw  liver  is  devoured  with  relish  by  the  black 
baby  ;  any  of  the  foods  described  in  the  preceding  chapter  may 
be  fed  to  the  crow.  As  soon  as  he  is  able  to  walk  Jim  "  will 
begin  to  learn  to  eat  without  help.  The  feathers  will  by  this 
time  have  grown,  covering  the  body  with  a  suit  of  glossy  black, 
which  gives  the  bird  a  very  genteel  and  respectable  appearance. 
The  crow  ought  never  to  be  confined  in  a  cage,  but  allowed  to 
wander  around  at  will. 

The  first  crow  that  came  into  the  author's  possession  had 
scarcely  escaped  from  its  egg-shell  prison  before  it  was  taken 
from  the  cradle  of  rough  sticks  that  the  parent  birds  had  built 
near  the  top  of  a  pine  tree. 

The  bird  was  christened  Billy,  and  from  morn  until  night 
the  neighbors  could  hear  him  as  he  loudly  clamored  for  food. 
Before  school-time  in  the  morning  an  egg  was  broken  and  the 
contents  of  the  shell  dropped  into  William's  great  red  mouth  ; 
with  a  gobbling  noise  the  egg  would  be  swallowed  ;  then  as  if  sat- 
isfied for  the  present  he  would  settle  down  for  a  nap.   During  the 
noonday  recess,  Billy,  with  his  red  mouth  wide  open,  was  always 
loudly  calling  for  his  noontime  meal,  which  consisted  of  the 
-ame  material  as  his  breakfast  and  supper.    Three  eggs  a  day 
kept  the  little  black  rascal  fat  and  healthy,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  naked  little  body  was  covered  with  a  coating  of 
glossy  black  feathers,  and  Billy,  abandoning  the  old  basket 
which  had  served  him  for  a  nest,  now  awaited  his  master's  return 
from  school,  perched  upon  the  iron  railing  fence  of  the  front  yard. 
From  eggs  to  fresh  liver  was  an  easy  step,  and  one  that  the  bird 
gladly  took.    Corn  he  never  ate  unless  it  was  in  the  form  of 
Johnny-cake"  or  mush;  stale  meat  was  his  detestation;  in 
fact,  a  cleaner  or  more  dainty  bird  in  regard  to  his  food  was  never 
reared.    Billy  was  not  long  in  making  a  name  and  reputation 
for  himself;  a  more  affectionate  and  mischievous  imp  never 


1 82  Summer. 


wore  a  coat  of  black  or  buried  silver  thimbles  in  a  flower  bed. 
Although  his  pranks  were  often  very  annoying,  they  were  always 
amusing,  and  no  one  ever  thought  the  less  of  the  bird  for  stealing 
all  the  fish  from  the  miniature  pond,  nor  did  his  master's  anger, 
though  great,  cause  him  to  administer  severe  punishment  to  the 
black  culprit' when  he  discovered  the  fish  all  neatly  stowed  away 
under  the  shingles  of  the  rabbit  house.  When  the  young  rab- 
bits were  discovered  nicely  pressed  between  the  leaves  of  some 
books  of  travel  just  purchased,  the  gentleman  to  whom  the  books 
belonged  declared  war.  He  went  to  the  lawn  to  search  for 
Billy,  and  the  bird  flew  to  him,  and,  alighting  upon  his  shoulder 
in  the  most  fearless  and  confident  manner,  commenced  a  long 
explanation  of  his  misdeeds  in  the  crow  language.  What  he 
said  was  unintelligible  ;  but  the  gentleman's  anger  was  not  only 
mollified  but  changed  to  mirth,  for  he  came  back  to  the  house 
laughing  heartily.  Billy,  still  perching  upon  his  shoulders, 
seemingly  enjoyed  the  situation. 

Since  the  writer's  first  experiment  he  has  brought  up  several 
other  crows  successfully  upon  a  diet 
of  fresh  meat,  bread  and  milk,  and 
boiled  potatoes  mixed  with  eggs. 


The  Hawk. 

Naturally   possessed    of  a  wild, 
fierce  nature,  loving  the  open  air  and 
the  wide,  blue  sky,  the  hawk  is  a 
Strap  for  Hawk's  Leg.        born  freebooter  ;  but  wild  and  fierce 
as  he  is,  he  may  nevertheless  be  perfectly  tamed  if  taken  from 
the  nest  when  quite  young. 

After  you  have  obtained  a  young  hawk,  make  it  a  rule 
to  always  feed  it  yourself  and  never  aUow  any  one  else  to  do 
so.  Give  a  pecuHar  whistle  (in  the  same  manner)  each  time 
you  feed  it,  and  the  bird  will  learn  to  know  the  signal  and  come 


How  to  Rear  Wild  Birds.  183 

at  the  call.  Keep  the  hawk  in  your  company  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, and  when  you  can,  set  its  perch  where  it  will  see  the  peo- 
ple around  the  house,  and  become  accustomed  to  their  pres- 
ence ;  by  this  means  the  bird  may  be  taught  not  to  fear  man, 
and  it  will  soon  become  as  harmless  as  any  small  cage-bird. 

Feed  young  hawks  upon  fresh  lean  meat  of  any  kind. 
When  they  grow  older  they  develop  a  fondness  for  rats,  mice, 
and  small  birds.  Do  not  trouble  yourself  about  their  drink- 
ing-water, as  they  do  not  need  it. 

The  Hawk  as  a  Scare-crow." 

A  tame  hawk  is  very  useful  in  keeping  the  chickens  out  of 
the  garden.  Whenever  the  writer  has  placed  the  perch  with 
his  pet  hawk  upon  it  in  the  garden,  not  a  chicken  has  dared 
to  enter  the  enclosure  ;  they  all  seem  to  know  their  enemy  by  in- 
stinct, and  give  it  a  wide  berth. 

The  hawk  himself  seems  to  know  when  he  is  doing  guard 
duty,  and  will  sit  as  motionless  as  a  statue,  his  head  sunk  down 
upon  his  shoulders,  but  the  keen,  bright  eyes  survey  the  whole 
field,  and  not  an  object  moves  that  they  do  not  see. 

The  Hawk  as  a  Decoy. 

If  you  want  to  trap  other  birds  a  tame  hawk  is  a  very  valua- 
ble assistant.  At  any  convenient  spot  set  your  bird  traps,  near 
by  fasten  the  hawk,  and  retire  a  little  distance  ;  it  will  not  be 
many  minutes  before  the  small  birds  will  discover  their  dreaded 
enemy,  and  from  bush  and  tree  the  spunky  little  feathered 
warriors  will  come  to  give  battle.  In  a  few  moments  the 
ground  and  air  around  the  hawk  will  be  filled  with  robins,  cat- 
birds, blackbirds,  sparrows,  yellowbirds,  thrushes,  wrens,'  and 
even  the  tiny  humming-bird,  making  up  in  grit  what  he  lacks 
in  size,  will  join  the  other  birds  in  their  war  against  a  common 
foe.    In  the  confusion  and  bustle  that  ensues  some  of  the 


Smnmer. 


small  birds  are  sure  to  enter  a  trap  or  become  entangled  in  a 
snare,  and  must  be  removed  before  they  injure  themselves  in 
struggling  to  regain  their  freedom.  As  soon  as  you  retire  a 
little  distance  the  small  birds  will  again  commence  their  war 
upon  the  pet  hawk,  who  is  thoroughly  competent  to  take  care 
of  himself,  so  you  can  devote  your  whole  attention  to  your  traps. 
As  a  pet  the  hawk  is  a  pretty  bird,  and  always  charms  specta- 
tors by  his  bold,  miHtary  bearing  and  his  bright,  clear  eyes. 

Owls 

the  author  has  found  inclined  to  be  more  wild  and  untamable 
than  hawks  and  not  so  interesting.  Even  the  little  screech-owls 
are  vicious  and  treacherous,  snapping  their  small  bills  in  a  sav- 
age way  whenever  they  are  approached.  A  friend  sends  word 
that  he  has  been  more  successful,  and  has  even  succeeded  in 
taming  the  great  Virginia  horned  owl,  which  was  allowed  to  fly 
around  with  perfect  freedom.  Bubo"  would  fly  all  over  the 
village  but  return  at  meal  times  ;  he  would  come  at  a  call  and 
knew  his  master,  obeying  him  even  to  the  extent  of  letting  go 
his  hold  of  a  pet  bobolink  when  commanded  to  do  so.  The 
bobolink,  though  a  little  bruised,  was  otherwise  unhurt,  and 
soon  recovered  from  the  effects  of  being  caught  in  the  dreaded 
talons  of  Bubo." 

Sea  Birds. 

Any  of  the  guillemot  tribe  will  do  well  if  kept  in  an  en- 
closure where  there  is  room  for  them  to  run  about.  The  author 
has  seen  numbers  of  tame  sea  birds,  although  he  never  attempted 
to  rear  one  himself,  and  would  advise  the  reader  not  to  try  unless 
he  has  plenty  of  room.  Sea  birds  are  strange  creatures,  and 
their  characteristics  are  so  well  portrayed  by  a  writer  for  The 
London  Field  that  part  of  the  amusing  article  is  here  given  in 
the  writer's  own  words  : 


How  to  Rear  Wild  Birds.  185 


_    "I  have  been  forced  to  banish  a  couple  of  herring  gulls  as 
they  persist  in  tearing  up  the  grass  by  the  roots.    Some  few 

C     M,  \^"t  \  °'        '"'"^  =P^"«^'  '  Sims 

Reeves  (all  the  b.rds  are  named,  so  that  I  can  give  directions 
for  special  treatment  to  any  particular  individual  during  my 
absence)  ;  but  he  asserted  his  authority  over  the  other  two 
Moody     and  '  Sankey,'  in  such  an  overbearing  manner- 
driving  them  round   and   round   the  pond,  the  two  poor 
wretches  meekly  trotting  in  front  of  him,  while  he  every  now 
and  then  gave  vent  to  the  most  melancholy  and  piercing 
screams-that  as  I  found  they  would  not  live  peaceably  to 
gether.  Sims  Reeves  was  allowed  to  go  with  his  wing  undipped 
1        '^"V""'"'  ^""^  "^'^  departure.    No  sooner  had  he  gone 
than  Moody  at  once  became  '  boss,'  and  the  last  state  of  poor 
Sankey  was  no  better  than  the  first.    At  times  they  were  quiet 
and  contented  enough;  resting  side  by  side  on  the  grass  they 
appeared  to  be  the  best  of  friends.     Without  the  slightest 
warning    however.  Moody  would  arise,  and  when  he  had 
cleared  his  throat  by  a  prehminary  ■  caterwaul,'  the  submis- 
sive Sankey,  having  learned  by  experience  that  it  would  not  do 
to  be  caught,  would  be  up  and  off.    Then,  with  his  head  drawn 
back  between  his  shoulders  and  his  feathers  slightly  pufTed  out 
Moody  would  follow  in  his  wake.    For  an  hour  or  so  this 
mournful  procession,  round  and  round  the  pond,  would  con- 
tinue    At  last  Moody  would  stop,  Sankey  also  pulling  up  at 
the  distance  of  a  yard  or  two.    Moody  leading,  they  would 
then  commence  a  duet  «      tomcat,  when,  suddenly  dropping 
on  their  breasts  on  the  ground,  they  would  turn  rapidly  round 
several  times,  and  at  last  attack  the  grass  in  the  most  excited 
manner,  tearing  it  up  by  the  roots  and  scattering  the  fragments 
m  every  direction.    This  proceeding  is  accompanied  by  the 
most  melancholy  cries  and  screams,  and  when  it  is  stated  that 
the  voice  of  Grimalkin  in  his  happiest,  or  rather  his  unhappiest 


1 86  Summer. 

moods,  is  almost  sweet  and  pleasing  to  the  ear  compared  with 
the  discordant  wailing  of  these  infatuated  birds,  one  may  judge 
of  the  nature  of  their  performance.  Whether  these  antics  are 
intended  for  courtship  or  defiance  I  am  perfectly  ignorant,  but 
I  have  observed  pewits  acting  in  much  the  same  manner.  At 
first  I  imagined  the  bird  was  forming  its  nest  (I  was  in  a  punt 
at  about  ten  yards'  distance),  but  on  examining  the  spot  on  the 
following  day  I  found  no  marks,  and  then  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  bird  was  either  showing  himself  off  for  the  admi- 
ration of  the  female,  who  was  close  by,  or  else  bidding  defiance 
to  another  male,  which  I  could  plainly  see  indulging  in  the 
same  performance  at  a  short  distance.  I  have  not  the  sUghtest 
doubt  that  gulls,  and  every  species  of  sea  bird,  might,  with 
proper  attention  and  food,  be  so  thoroughly  reconciled  to  con- 
finement that  they  would  nest  and  rear  their  young." 

Strange  Domestic  Fowls. 

In  a  small  town  situated  in  the  interior  of  Georgia  there 
lives  a  queer  sort  of  sporting  character,  who  has,  or  did 
have  a  few  years  ago,  the  strangest  collection  of  fowls  in  his 
chicken-yard  that  it  has  ever  been  my  fortune  to  see.  I  was 
strolling  along  a  side  street  in  the  town  when  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  the  sight  of  a  large  black  bear  chained  to  the 
door-post  of  a  small  frame  tavern.  While  watching  the  huge 
beast,  I  was  accosted  by  the  proprietor,  and  invited  into  the 
barn-yard  to  see  his  chickens,"  which  he  was  about  to  feed. 
The  invitation  was  accepted.  At  the  first  call  of  chick  1  chick  ! 
there  came  flying  and  running  a  curious  assortment  of  fowls, 
tumbling  over  each  other  in  their  greedy  haste.  There  were 
ducks,  geese,  and  chickens  like  those  to  be  seen  in  any  farm- 
yard, but  mingled  with  these  were  wild  geese,  mud  hens,  par- 
tridges, and  beautiful  little  wood  ducks;  the  latter  seemed 
tamer  than  the  domestic  species.    Towering  above  all  the  other 


How  to  Rear  Wild  Birds.  187 


fowls,  flapping  his  wings,  and  making  a  loud  metalHc  noise  was 
a  great  long-legged,  red- headed  crane.  I  afterward  learned  that 
the  wild  geese  and  ducks  had  their  wings  clipped,  for,  although 
they  may  be  perfectly  tame,  these  birds  are  very  liable  to  fly 
away  in  the  autumn  when  they  see  or  hear  their  wild  -  cousins  " 
and  their  -  aunts  "  flying  overhead.  I  give  this  little  experience 
to  show  the  boys  that  any  bird  may  be  domesticated  if  its 
habits  and  wants  are  understood  ;  of  course,  it  is  always  best 
to  take  young  birds  for  the  purpose. 


Young  Snipe. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


HOME-MADE  HUNTING  APPARATUS,  ETC. 

Spearing  Fish. 

I  don't  know !  Shure  I  niver  tried,''  is  the  answer  reported 
to  have  been  made  by  an  Irishman,  when  asked  if  he  could 
play  the  fiddle.  No  doubt  there  are  many  boys  who  would 
give  a  like  reply  if  asked  if  they  could  spear  a  fish. 

An  amateur's  first  attempt  at  casting  a  spear  will  prob- 
ably meet  with  about  the  same  success  as  Paddy"  might  be 
expected  to  achieve  in  his  first  trial  of  a  fiddle  ;  but  almost  any- 
thing can  be  accomplished  by  practice.  The  keen  enjoyment 
of  the  fisher  who  by  his  skill  and  dexterity  has  succeeded  in 
striking  a  fine  fish,  can  only  be  compared  to  the  pleasant 
triumph  of  his  brother  sportsman  in  the  field  who  has  just  se- 
cured two  birds  by  a  difficult  double-shot. 

How  to  Make  a  Fish  Spear. 

Make  the  shaft  or  handle  of  any  straight  stick  or  pole  seven 
or  eight  feet  long ;  trim  it  down,  and  test  the  weight  occasion- 
ally by  balancing  it  in  the  hand.  When  the  shaft  seems  to  be 
about  the  proper  weight,  it  should  be  let  alone,  and  attention 
directed  to  the  barbs  for  the  head  of  the  spear. 

In  place  of  the  ordinary  single  point  generally  used  as  a  spear 
head,  the  fishing  spear  may  be  supplied  with  two  points,  as  shown 
in  the  illustration  (Fig.  121,  p.  189).  Any  hard,  elastic  material 
will  do  for  the  head,  spHt  bamboo  or  cane,  two  pieces  of  heavy 
iron  wire,  filed  to  a  point  and  notched  into  barbs  upon  the 


Home- Made  Hunting  Apparatus,  Etc.  189 

inside,  as  shown  in  the  diagram,  or  the  points  may  be  made  of 
bone  Hke  the  fish  arrows  used  by  the  inhabitants  of  Vancouver's 
Island.    Very  hard  wood  will  also  answer  for  the  spear  head 
After  the  head  pieces  are  notched  and  pointed,  they  should  be 
firmly  bound  to  the  spear  at  a  point  a  few  inches 
below  the  end  of  the  shaft.    A  couple  of  small 
wedges  driven  in  between  the  shaft  and  the  points 
will  diverge  the  latter,  as  in  the  illustration.  After 
this  is  accomplished,  lash  the  barbs  firmly  on  up 
to  the  head  of  the  shaft.    If  a  fish  be  struck  by 
one  of  these  weapons,  it  will  be  next  to  impos- 
sible for  it  to  escape.    The  elastic  points  at  first 
suddenly  spread  apart  as  the  spear  strikes  the 
fish's  body;  the  next  instant  they  violently  con- 
tract, holding  the  fish  a  secure  prisoner.  The 
barbs  upon  the  inside  prevent  the  prey  from  slip- 
ping out,  no  matter  how  smooth  and  shmy  his 
body  may  be. 

A  small  instrument  made  upon  a  similar  plan 
can  be  used  for  catching  snakes  or  other  reptiles 
that  are  not  safe  or,  pleasant  to  handle.  Frogs 
may  also  be  readily  captured  with  a  fish  spear, 
and  any  boy  who  takes  the  time  to  make  one  of 
these  weapons  will  find  himself  amply  repaid  for     fig.  x^i  -Fish 
his  trouble.    The  elder  stick  described  and  illus-  j^?^^^  view^"" 
trated  upon  page  34  is  made  upon  the  same  prin-  ^pfar  Hea^ 
ciple  as  the  fish  spear. 

Armed  with  fish  spears  and  torches  great  fun  can  be  had 
speanng  fish  from  a  row-boat  at  night.  The  torch  illuminates 
the  water  and  appears  to  dazzle  the  fish,  at  the  same  time  dis- 
closing their  whereabouts  to  the  occupants  of  the  boat,  who 
with  poised  spears  await  a  favorable  opportunity  to  strike  the 
scaly  game. 


190 


How  to  Make  the  Torches  and  Jack-Lights. 

One  way  to  make  a  torch  is  to  wind  lamp- wick  upon  a 
forked  stick  (Fig.  122).  The  ball  of  wick  must  be  thoroughly 
saturated  with  burning  fluid  of  some  kind.  The  torches  should 
all  be  prepared  before  starting  upon  the  excursion. 

Never  take  a  supply  of  kerosene  or  any  explosive  oil  with 
you  in  the  boat,  for,  in  the  excitement  of  the  sport,  accidents 
of  the  most  serious  nature  may  happen.  A  safe  hght 
can  be  made  with  a  number  of  candles  set  in  a  box. 
A  glass  front  allows  the  light  to  shine  through,  and 
a  piece  of  bright  tin  for  a  reflector  behind  adds  bril- 
liancy to  the  illumination.  A  box  of  this  description 
is  generally  called  a  -jack-box;"  it  is  much  less 
trouble  than  the  flaring  pine-knot  or  wick-ball  torches. 

The  candles  in  the  -  jack-box"  should  be  replen- 
ished each  time  after  it  is  used  ;  in  this  manner  the 
jack  may  be  kept  always  ready  for  use.  After  the 
candles  are  lighted  fasten  the  box  in  the  bow  of  the 
boat ;  here  it  will  throw  a  bright  light  ahead,  illumi- 
w^ck-tofch.  nating  the  water,  but  casting  a  heavy,  dark  shadow 
in  the  boat,  conceahng  the  occupants  from  view.  The  boys  in 
the  boat  can,  of  course,  see  all  the  better  for  being  themselves 
in  shadow. 

How  to  Make  the  Boomerang. 

We  might  expect  strange  weapons  to  come  from  a  land  that 
produces  quadrupeds  with  heads  Uke  ducks,  and  other  great 
beasts  that  go  bounding  over  the  plains  like  some  immense 
species  of  jumping  spiders,  using  their  thick  tails  as  a  sort  ot 
spring  to  help  them  in  leaping,  and  carrying  their  young  in 
their  fur-lined  vest  pockets  !  Nor  will  we  be  disappointed 
when,  after  viewing  the  duckbill  and  the  kangaroo,  we  see  the 
odd-looking  clubs  called  boomerangs,  or  the  simple  but  m- 


Home-Made  Hunting  Apparatus,  Etc.  191 


genious  throw-sticks  by  means  of  which  the  native  Austra- 
hans  are  enabled  to  cast  their  weapon,  with  the  greatest  accu- 
racy, an  astonishingly  long  distance. 

The  boomerang,  or  bommerang  as  it  is  sometimes  called, 
is  one  of  the  most  mysterious  weapons  known.  Evolved  by 
slow  degrees  from  a  simple  war  club  by  the  ignorant  and  sav- 
age Australians,  this  instrument  excites  the  interest  and  aston- 
ishes the  civilized  man  by  its  strange  and  apparently  unaccount- 
able properties.  To  all  appearances  it  is  a  simple,  roughly 
hewn  club,  yet  its  movements  when  thrown  by  an  expert  hand 
are  so  eccentric  as  to  make  it  a  curious  anomaly  even  to  per- 
sons educated  in  natural  philosophy.  Whatever  is  wonderful  or 
marvellous  is  always  a  subject  of  peculiar  interest  to  mankind 
generally,  but  to  boys  an  inexpHcable  natural  phenomenon  is  a 
treasure-trove  of  immeasurable  value. 


How  to  Make  a  Boomerang. 

With  boiHng  water  scald  a  piece  of  well-seasoned  elm,  ash 
or  hickory  plank  that  is  free  from  knots.  Allow  the  wood  to 
remain  in  the  water -until 
it  becomes  pliable  enough 
to  bend  into  the  form 
indicated  by  Fig.  123. 
When  it  has  assumed  the 
proper  curve,  nail  on  the 
side   pieces   A,  A  (Fig. 

123)  to  hold  the  wood  in  Fig.  123. 

position  until  it  is  thoroughly  dry ;  after  which  the  side  pieces 
may  be  removed,  with  no  fear  that  the  plank  will  not  retain  the 
curve  imparted. 

Saw  the  wood  into  as  many  pieces  as  it  will  allow  (Fig.  124 
B),  and  each  piece  will  be  a  boomerang  in  the  rough  that  only 


192 


Summer. 


needs  to  be  trimmed  up  with  a  pocket-knife,  and  scraped  smooth 
with  a  piece  of  broken  glass  to  make  it  a  finished  weapon. 

A  large  wood-rasp  or  file  is  of  great  assistance  in  shaping 
the  implement.    Fig.  124  C  shows  a  finished  boomerang.  Fig. 

124  D  shows  a  cross  section  of 
the  same.  The  curve  in  no  two 
boomerangs  is  exactly  the  same ; 
some  come  round  with  a  graceful 
sweep,  while  others  bend  so  sud- 
denly in  the  middle  that  they  have 
more  the  appearance  of  angles 
than  curves.  Just  what  the  qual- 
ity is  that  makes  a  good  boomer- 
ang is  hard  to  discover,  although, 
as  a  rule,  the  one  that  appears  to 
have  the  best  balance  and  feels  as 
if  it  might  be  thrown  easily  is  the 
best. 

*  To  Throw  a  Boomerang, 

grasp  the  weapon  near  one  end 
Fig.  124.  and  hold  it  as  you  would  a  club  ; 

be  careful  to  have  the  concave  side,  or  hollow  curvature, 
turned  from  you  and  the  convex  side  toward  you.  Take  aim 
at  a  stone,  tuft  of  grass  or  other  object  on  the  ground  about  a 
hundred  yards  in  front  of  you,  and  throw  the  weapon  at  the  ob- 
ject. The  weapon  will  in  all  probability  not  go  anywhere  near 
the  mark,  but,  soaring  aloft,  perform  some  of  the  most  extra- 
ordinary manoeuvres,  then  starting  off  again  with  apparently 
renewed  velocity,  either  return  to  the  spot  from  where  it  was 
thrown  or  go  sailing  off  over  the  fields  like  a  thing  possessed  of 
life.  A  boomerang  cast  by  a  beginner  is  very  dangerous  in  a 
crowd,  for  there  is  no  telling  where  it  is  going  to  alight,  and 


Home-Made  Hunting  Apparatus,  Etc.    1 93 


when  .t  does  come  down  it  sometimes  comes  with  force  enough 
to  cut  a  small  dog  almost  in  two.*  Select  a  large  open  field 
■where  the  ground  is  soft  and  there  is  no  one  around  to  be  hurt 
In  such  a  field  you  may  amuse  yourself  by  the  day  throwing 
these  cunous  weapons,  and  you  can  in  this  manner  learn  how 
to  make  the  boomerang  go  through  all  manner  of  the  most  in- 
describable movements  seemingly  at  your  bidding. 

The  Miniature  Boomerang 

here  represented  is  supposed  to  be  cut  out  of  a  card.  The  shape 
given  in  the  illustration  is  a  very  good  one,  but  it  may  be 
varied  to  an  almost  unlimited  degree.  Card  boomerangs  over 
an  inch  or  so  in  length  do  not  work  well,  but  they  may  be  made 
very  much  smaller. 

One  of  these  tiny  instruments  cannot  be  grasped  by  the 
hand  but  when  it  is  to  be  launched  upon  its  eccentric  journey 
the  toy  should  be  laid  flat  upon  a  card,  al- 
lowing one  end  to  project  from  the  side  as 
in  Fig.  125.  Take  hold  of  the  lower  left 
hand  corner  of  the  card  with  the  left  hand, 
and  with  the  forefinger  of  the  right  hand 
fillip  the  boomerang,  striking  it  a  quick, 
smart  blow  with  the  finger-nail,  and  the  lit- 
tle missile  will  sail  away,  going  through  al- 

woode^L'""'  """/"^■'t^  that  the  large     f...  ...,_M,-nde 

wooden  boomerang  does  when  thrown  from  Boomerang. 

the  hand.  Small  boomerangs  can  be  whittled  out  of  a  shingle 
with  a  pocket  knife,  and  considerable  amusement  had  with 
them  ;  these  small  affairs  can  be  thrown  on  the  crowded  play- 
ground, where  it  would  be  exceedingly  dangerous  to  experi- 
ment with  the  larger  and  heavier  club  before  described. 


194 


Summer. 


Position  Assumed  when  Casting  the 
Arrow. 


The  Whip-Bow. 

This  graceful  and  powerful  weapon  is  like  an  ordinary  long- 
bow, with  the  exception  that  the  bow-string  is  made  fast  to  but 
one  end,  after  the  manner  of  a  whip-lash  ;  where  the  whip-lash 

terminates     in  a 
"snapper,"  the 
bow-string  ends  in 
a  hard,  round  knot 
(Fig.  126)  ;  the  ar- 
row is  made  like 
any  other  arrow, 
either  with  a  blunt 
end  or  a  pointed 
spear-point.  In 
one  side  of  the  ar- 
row a  notch  is  cut 
(Fig.  126,  A) ;  the 
bow-string  being 
slipped   into  this 
notch,  the  knot  at 
the  end  of  the  string  prevents  the  arrow  from 
slipping  off  until  thrown  by  the  archer,  who,  tak- 
ing the  butt  of  the  whip-bow  in  his  right  hand, 
holds  the  arrow  at  the  notch  with  his  left  hand,  as 
in  the  illustration;  then  swaying  his  body  from 
side  to  side,  he  suddenly  lets  go  with  his  left 
hand,  at  the  same  time  extending  his  right  arm  ^ 
to  its  full  length  from  his  side  ;  this  not  only  fig.  ^^e.-Whip 
gives  the  arrow  all  the  velocity  it  would  acquire 
from  the  bow,  but  adds  the  additional  force  of  a  sling,  thus 
sending  the  projectile  a  greater  distance.    The  only  place  that 
I  have  seen  the  whip-bow  used  is  on  the  lake  shore  m  North- 


Home-Made  Hunting  Apparatus,  Etc. 


195 


em  Oh.o.    In  some  parts  of  this  section  it  used  to  be  a  c^reat 
favonte  among  the  boys,  who  would  throw  the  arrows  up^^er 
pend  cularly  an  amaz.ng  distance.    Arrows  can  be  bou^fi  . 
any  cty,  but  most  boys  prefer  to  make  their  own,  leaving  tl 

store  arrows"  for  the  girls  to  use  with  their  pretty  «  fto  e 
bows      Ihe  essential  quahty  in  an  arrow  is  strLhtness  A 

makers  use  or  the  arrow  may  have  a  blunt  end  with  a  shart, 
pomted  na:l  m  the  head.   These  arrows  should  only  be  used  ,n 

SX1^77m'?e  r ^  '  clangLusTn'th: 
P  ciy  ground.   A  simple  whip-bow  may  be  made  bv  an v  hn.. . 

sired  by  substituting  a  piece  of 
straight-grained,  well-seasoned 
wood  for  the  green  branch,  and 
regularly  made  Indian  arrows 
for  the  crude  pine  ones. 


Throw-Sticks. 

The  same  race  that  invented 
the  wonderful  boomerang  also 
originated  the  equally  ingen- 
ious throw-stick  illustrated  by 
Fig.  127,  page  196.  Although 

any  of  my  readers  can,  in  a  few  Using  the  Throw-stick 


196 


Summer, 


FlG.  127.— Throw-Sticks. 


Make  the  lance  of  cane  or  bamboo ;  use  a  straight  piece  and 
put  an  arrow-head  upon  one  end  ;  then  holding  the  lance  on  a 
throw-stick,  as  shown  by 
the  accompanying  illus- 
tration, cast  it  with  all 
your  might.  The  first 
trials  will,  doubtless,  be 
failures,  but  nothing  is 
gained  without  practice  ; 
and  when  you  once  ' '  catch 

the  hang  of  the  thing"  . 
you  will  be  astonished  to  see  what  a  distance  a  comparatively 
small  boy  can  throw  a  spear.  Any  straight,  thin  stick  may  be 
used  as  a  lance.  Allow  one  end  to  rest  against  the 
point  upon  the  throw-stick,  which  will  hold  it  in  place 
until  the  cast  is  made.  The  throw-stick  acts  as  a 
sHng,  lending  additional  force  to  the  arm,  and  send- 
ing the  spear  much  further  than  the  strongest  man  can 
cast  it  with  his  unaided  hand. 


The  Bird-Bolas. 

Probably  all  of  my  readers  have  read  of  that  won- 
derful sling  called  a  -  bolas,"  used  by  some  tribes  of 
savages  for  the  capture  of  game,  but  I  doubt  if  any 
of  them  ever  tried  to  manufacture  one  for  themselves. 

Yet  this  curious  missile  can  be  made 
by  a  boy,  and  if  he  be  inclined  to 
field  sports,  he  will  find  that  a  bird- 
bolas  will  do  considerable  execution. 

Hunt  for  a  half  dozen  round  stones 
about  the  size  of  large  marbles,  or,  bet- 
ter still,  take  six  leaden  musket-balls, 


Fig.  128.— Bird-Bolas. 


wrap  each  ball  in  a  piece  of  aa  old  kid  glove,  buckskin,  or 


Home-Made  Hunting  Apparatus,  Etc.  197 

cloth,  as  shown  by  the  diagram  (a,  b,  Fig.  128).    Take  three 
p.eces  of  string  each  five  feet  long,  double  them  in  the  centre 
and  bind  the  doubled  parts  together;  a  few  small  feathers  ma^ 
be  bound  m  to  add  a  finished  and  Indian  look  to  the  bolas 
lo  the  ends  of  the  strings  attach  the  bullets  (Fig  128^  To 
cast  the  bolas,  grasp  it  by  the  feathered  part  with  the  ihumb 
and  first  finger,  wh.rl  it  around  your  head  as  you  would  an 
ordmary  shng.     When  you  let  go,  the  loaded  ends  of  the 
stnngs  will  fly  apart,  so  that  the  missile  will  cover  a  space  in 
the  a,r  of  five  feet  m  diameter.    If  a  string  strike  a  bird  it  will 
instantly  wrap  itself  round  and  round  the  body;  if  the  loaded 
end  strike  the  game  it  will,  of  course,  stun  or  disable  it.  One 

down  reS.""'"'^  ^         °'  "^''^  *° 

For  target  practice,  use  in  the  place  of  the  ordinary  butt 
a  number  of  reeds  or  sticks  stuck  upright  in  the  ground'lbou 

stf°d  and       t     "r^"""^  '""^  ''^'^"'^^  --ksman  to 

stand  and  marking  the  spot,  let  him  see  how  many  reeds  he 
can  level  at  a  single  cast  of  the  bolas.    The  one  who  make 

I  fea'E  r  h  T  ''''''  °'  "       ^"j""'"  wear 

skmed  hand  h    T'.^       ^PP-P"-'-  badge,  until  some  more 
sMed  hand  beats  the  record  and  wins  the  title  and  the  badge 
match  ^     should  count  unless  made  in  a  regularly  appoint^ed 


The  Elastic  Cross-Bow. 

(A  NEW  KIND  OF  CROSS-BOW.) 
Select  a  piece  of  thick  pine  or  cedar  plank  and  saw  out  a  piece 
of  the  form  shown  by  A  FiV  770     Tr;,r,     a  /"-apiece 
knife  nnt;i  if  K  ^'    ^"  with  a  jack- 

an  ?    wth  ^""''^'^  ^"'^  g""-'"^-^  appear- 

ance. With  a  gouge,  such  as  may  be  borrowed  at  any  car- 
penter or  cabinet-maker's  shop,  cut  a  half  round  groove  from 


Summer. 


the  butt  to  the  muzzle  of  the  barrel.  The  groove  must  be  per- 
fectly straight  and  true  (B,  Fig.  129).  Bore  a  hole  in  the  piece 
(E),  for  the  bow  to  fit  in.  The  bow  in  this  case  should  be  made 
perfectly  stiff,  so  as  not  to  bend  in  the  least  when  the  line  is 
drawn  and  the  gun  set.  The  bow  may  be  bent  into  the  proper 
form  by  steeping  it  in  boihng  water  until  the  wood  becomes 
pliable,  and  binding  it  firmly  into  the  required  position.    After  it 

has  become  per- 
fectly dry  the 
wood  will  retain 
the  form  and  the 
bindings  may  be 
cut  off.  Trim  the 
bow  nicely  into 
shape,  and  make 
it  of  such  size 
that  it  will  not 
bend  when  the 
string  is  drawn. 
Fit  the  bow  into 
place,  not  like  an 
ordinary  cross- 
FiG.  129.— The  Elastic  Cross-Bow.  bow  but  in  a  re- 

versed position,  as  shown  by  the  diagram  C,  Fig.  129.  It 
might  be  an  improvement  to  set  the  bow  back  toward  the  stock 
an  inch  or  two  further  than  the  one  in  the  illustration.  For  a 
bow-line  use  two  pieces  of  strong  elastic,  with  a  string  for  a  cen- 
tre piece.  The  centre  cord  prevents  the  bow-line  from  wearing 
out  as  soon  as  it  would  if  it  were  all  elastic  (Fig.  129,  C). 
Make  the  trigger  in  the  manner  described  for  the  plunger  pistol 
(Fig.  134,  page  204),  but  instead  of  fastening  it  upon  one  side 
with  a  screw,  set  it  in  a  slot  cut  for  the  purpose  in  the  middle 
of  the  barrel  near  the  stock,  and  let  it  move  freely  upon  a  pivot. 


198 


Home-Made  Hunting  Apparatus,  Etc. 


199 

Cut  a  thin,  smooth  piece  of  pine  just  long  and  wide^^K^i^ 
cover  the  gun-barrel  from  stock  to  muzzle,  and  fasten  ft  o" 
w.th  a  couple  of  small  brads  at  the  muzzle 
and  a  screw  at  the  stock  (Fig.  129,  C). 

There  is  always  a  certain  amount  of  dan- 
ger attending  the  use  of  firearms  which  is 
avoided  by  the  cross-bow,  added  to  which 
advantage  is  the  fact  that  the  twang  a  bow- 

strmg  makes  is  so  slight  a  noise  as  not  to 

alarm  the  game,  and  if  the  young  sports- 
man be  inexperienced  he  may  shoot  several 

times  at  the  same  bird  or  rabbit  without 

frightening  it  away.    With  a  little  practice 

It  is  astonishing  what  precision  of  aim  can  F'g- i3o.-Elastic  Sling. 

be  obtained  with  the  cross-bow.     I  know  boys  who  seldom 

"  ces    f    Tk"  ^^"''''^  ^""g'  of  two 

(F  g  130)  "  '°  ^  '""^'^^'^      ^  ^'"'ght  stick 


Hunter's  Cabin. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  BLOW-GUNS,  ELDER  GUNS,  ETC. 

The  fierce  and  savage  head  hunters  of  Borneo  go  to  war 
armed  with  the  same  implements  with  which  the  school-boys 
shoot  peas  or  pellets  of  clay  at  unsuspecting  citizens  as  they 
pass  the  ambuscade  of  tree  or  fence.    The  blow-guns  used  by 
the  Dyaks  of  Borneo  are  called  sumpitans,  and  instead  of  clay 
balls  they  carry  poisoned  arrows.    A  spear  is  also  attached  to 
the  side  of  one  end  of  the  sumpitan,  after  the  manner  of  a  bay- 
onet on  a  1  lodern  rifle.    In  speaking  of  the  sumpitan  a  recent 
writer  says  :  "  This  curious  weapon  is  about  eight  feet  in  length 
and  not  quite  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  is  bored  with  the  great- 
est accuracy,  a  task  that  occupies  a  long  time,  the  wood  being 
very  hard  and  the  interior  of  the  sumpitan  smooth  and  even 
polished.    It  is  not  always  made  of  the  same  wood.    The  sur- 
face is  of  equal  thickness  from  end  to  end."  Among  the  South 
American  Indians  the  sumpitan  is  represented  by  the  long 
delicate  *'pucuna,"  or  the  heavy  and  unwieldy  zarabatana." 
All  savages  use  poisoned  arrows  in  their  blow-guns  instead 
of  harmless  pellets  of  clay  or  putty.  Taking  a  few  hints  from  the 
primitive  warriors  and  hunters  of  Borneo  and  South  America, 
any  boy,  with  a  little  care  and  small  expense,  can  construct 
for  himself  a  blow-gun  which  will  be  handy  to  carry  around 
and  will  shoot  with  great  accuracy.    Mr.  W.  Hamilton  Gibson, 
the  well-known  artist,  has  acquired  such  skill  with  the  blow- 
gun  that  he  seldom  misses  the  mark,  and  often  brings  home 


How  to  Make  Blow-Guns. 


20 1 


To  Make  a  Blow-Gun 
«»y  de,i.,ta„  will  be  r„  II  ,  .  '"^  »■  •"<! 


J27 


Fig.  I3i.-The  Hunter's  Blow-Gun 

of  the  tube  in  SL  T  '^T"  or  beeswax  secure  the  tips 
are  flush  S  endl  ^tl!  v'^'^  ""^ 

biow,u„  that  ca:  ^::^t£:-^^;;'^f^:;}^-t  ^ 

-ss.les  .ay  be  used  arrows,  tacks,  peas,  of^^^;'' rltJZ 


202  Summer. 


must  be  very  small,  and  a  pin  with  its  head  filed  off  makes  a 
simple  point ;  some  raw  cotton  bound  on  the  butt  end  to  make 
it  fit  the  inside  of  the  gun  finishes  the  missile  (Fig.  131,  D). 
The  tack  is  prepared  by  fastening  short  pieces  of  worsted  or 
carpet  ravellings  to  it  just  below  the  head  with  shoemakers'  or 

beeswax  (C,  Fig.  isO-  .  . 

This  not  only  fills  up  the  space  inside  the  blow-gun,  makmg 
it  fit,  but  the  yarn  also  acts  as  a  feather  does  upon  an 
arrow  and  causes  the  tack  to  fly  straight  and  point  foremost. 
The  worsted-headed  tack  is  a  -  tip-top  "  missile  for  target  prac- 
tice. The  clay  pellet  will  bring  down  small  birds,  stunnmg 
them,  but  doing  them  no  serious  injury,  so  that  if  the  birds  are 
quickly  picked  up  they  can  be  captured  alive. 

Along  the  Mississippi  River,  from  New  Orleans  to  Nash- 
ville there  are  still  some  remnants  of  the  Indians  that  m  olden 
times  paddled  their  canoes  up  and  down  the  Father  of  Waters 
The  boys  among  these  tribes  make  splendid  blow-guns  out  of 
cane  When  the  inside  is  bored  out  they  straighten  the  cane 
by  heating  it  over  hot  coals,  and  then,  after  attaching  a  heavy 
weight  to  one  end,  suspending  it  by  a  string  attached  to  the 
other  end.  The  heat  from  the  hot  coals  makes  the  cane  pliable, 
and  before  it  becomes  cold  and  hard,  the  weights  make  it 
almost  as  straight  and  true  as  a  rifle-barrel. 

Squirt- Guns. 

Some  time  during  the  summer  of  each  year  a  boy  used  to 
appear  with  a  squirt-gun  made  of  a  piece  of  cane.  Squirt-gun- 
time  then  commenced,  next  day  four  or  five  guns  might  be  seen 
on  the  play-grounds,  and  before  a  week  had  passed  the  curb- 
stone in  front  of  the  little  frame  school-house  presented  a  line 
of  boys  all  busily  engaged  in  seeing  who  could  shoot  the 
greatest  distance  ;  the  dusty  macadamized  street  registered 
every  drop  of  water  by  a  muddy  spot.    I  found  that  by  adding 


How  to  Alake  Elder-Guns. 


203 


a  quill  as  a  nozzle  to  my  "  squirt  "  it  would  throw  ^^Z^i^^ 

TmiT    ;  "'^  =^  ^^'^  ^''"P'^         *°  make  a  gool 

squ.r  gun.  and  one  n.ay  be  manufactured  in  a  few  minutes 

beinJ      'f,^  ^  P'*^"^*^  °^  ^"         ^^"^  fishing-pole 

closed  thTSir'  P'*^                 'h^'''-o  t 

•            ^'  ^"^'^rt  a  quill  for  a  nozzle  at 
one  of  the  jomts  and  see  that 

it  fits  tightly;  leave  the  other  =4^—   ^ 

end  open.   With  your  pock-      ^~  V==^ 

et-knife  fashion  from  a  piece 

of  pine  or  cedar  the  plunger  QID  —  

(B,  Fig.  132)  ;  leave  the  wood  i.^^  -Cane  Squi.  t-Gun. 

a  httle  thicker  at  both  ends  and  wrap  a  rag  around  one  end 
makmg  ,t_just  thick  enough  to  fit  snugly  in'the  cane  after  let 
ting  It.    This  completes  the  "squirt"  (A,  Fie  1,2^  Tn 
It,  immerse  the  quill  in  water,  first  pu!h  Ihe  plunger  il  thl 
draw  :t  out  slowly  until  the  gun  is  filled  with  water    Tak^  Tn. 

tance.  One  of  these  water-guns  is  quite  useful  in  the  garden  • 
by  Its  means  the  insects  infesting  the  rose  bushes  and  oth"; 

located  Tn  so  ^'^"'^        ^'-"'^^  removed, 

ocated  in  some  crack  or  cranny  that  is  difficult  to  reach  the 
squirt-gu„  :s  just  the  thing  to  dislodge  the  objects  wirhout  d£ 

turbing  the  surrounding  rocks 
or  plants.  ■ 


J      Elder-Guns  and  Pistols. 


Fig.  133.-A  Simple  EMer-Gun  When  the  author  was  a  very 

made  of  a  piece  of  elder  or  any  other  hollow  stick.    A  long 


204 


Summer. 


notch  cut  in  one  side  admits  a  spring  made  of  whalebone  (Fig. 
133).  By  pushing  the  spring  back  the  short  arrow  shown  m 
the  illustration  can  be  propelled  quite  a  distance.  If  instead 
of  the  awkward  whalebone  spring  a  piece  of  elastic  be  used,  a 

much  neater  gun 

rrc^^e^r-  '  can  be  m  a  d  e  . 

Fig.  134  shows 
a  pistol  made 
with  an  elderbar- 
rel  and  a  stock 
of  pine.  A  plun- 
ger, similar  in 
many  respects  to 
Fig.  134.— Plunger  Pistol.  the  one  used  in 

the  squirt-gun,  is  made  with  an  edge  to  catch  in  the  trigger. 
An  elastic  band  is  bound  to  the  barrel  with  strmg,  and  the 
loop  fastened  to  the  butt  end  of  the  plunger.  When  the  latter 
is  drawn  back  to  the  trigger  it  stretches  the  elastic.  Bypulhng 
the  trigger  toward  you  it  loosens  the  plunger,  which  flies  back 
with  a  snap,  sending  the  arrow  out  with  considerable  force. 
The  barrel  of  the  pistol  may  be  fastened  to  the  stock  by  two 
strips  of  tin  or  leather.  The  diagram  shows  the  form  of  the  trig- 
ger, which  should 
be  made  so  as  to 
move  readily 
backward  or  for- 
ward   upon  the 

screw  that  fastens        -  ,  . ,    .  r., 

,  Fig  iqt;.— Pistol  without  a  Plunger, 

it  to  the  stock. 

Fig.  135  shows  how  a  pistol  can  be  made  to  work  without  a 
plunger.  In  this  case  the  barrel  is  partly  cut  off  from  A  to  B. 
The  arrow  should  be  made  to  fit  in  the  groove,  so  that  when  the 
elastic  is  loosened  it  will  strike  the  arrow  in  the  same  manner 


How  to  Make  Spring  Shot- Guns. 


205 

that  the  string  of  a  cross-ho^^^^^^^^TBM^^^^^^i^^^ 
with  good,  strong  elastic,  will  shoot  quite  a  distance,  and  if  the 
arrows  are  armed  with  a  tack  or  pin  in  the  head  they  can  be 
used  .n  target  practice.    We  now  come  to  a  gun  in  which  the 
spring  IS  the  principal  part. 

The  Spring  Shot-Gun. 

bv  tTw'^  f  gefleman  was  at  one  time  very  much  annoyed 
by  fine  bird-shot  which  at  all  times  of  the  day  came  rattling 
against  the  window-panes  of  his  study.    Being  somewhat  of  a 
philosopher,  the  old  man  at  last  became  deeply  interested  in 
investigating  the  cause  of  his  annoyance.    From  the  wMow 
ne  could  see  a  house 
separated  from  his 
study  by  a  deep  back  ~ 
yard,  a  vacant  lot,  and 
another  yard.  While 
peering    out  between 
the  bhnds  of  his  window 
he  saw  a  boy  appear 
at  one  of  the  windows 

of  the    distant    house  ;  Spring  Shot-gun. 

the  boy  held  something  in  his  left  hand  which  he  pulled  with  his 
right  almos  instantly  there  was  a  rattling  of  bird-shot  against 
the  old  gentleman's  window  glass,  and  the  boy  disappeared 
But  so  great  was  the  distance  that  separated  the  two  houses 
that  It  was  impossible  for  the  old  man  to  distinguish  what  sort 
of  an  instrument  the  mischievous  lad  used  to  propel  the 

ZiSZt.:"""         ^""^^  ""^^  youngster  was  at  last 

waylaid,  and  the  mystery  solved.    The  machine  used  proved 

one  of'  tL""^       "'""V  °^  ^^P'°^'^'^  -  with 

one  of  these  guns,  neither  does  it  possess  stock,  trigger  or 

sights,  but  simply  consists  of  a  stick  of  whalebone  or  an  JoAer 


2o6 


elastic  material,  one  end  of  which  is  armed  with  a  large  quill, 
corked  at  its  lower  end. 

When  the  quill  is  filled  with  fine  bird-shot  and  the  end  of 
the  stick  grasped  by  the  left  hand,  the  contents  of  the  quill  can 
be  thrown  an  amazing  distance  by  bending  the  quill  end  back 
and  allowing'  it  to  suddenly  fiy  forward,  upon  the  principle  of 
the  whip  bow.  If  instead  of  a  small  piece  of  whalebone. a  large 
and  very  elastic  rod  be  used,  with  a  tin  tube  in  the  place  of  the 
quill,  an  effective  weapon  will  be  produced  useful  for  hunting 
and  collecting  purposes ;  although  the  shot  cast  from  the  tube 
will  have  sufficient  force  to  stun  a  small  bird,  it  will  not  injure 
the  specimen  by  making  ugly  holes  in  the  skin  and  staining  the 
feathers  with  blood.  All  of  the  weapons  described  in  this  and 
other  chapters  should  be  used  with  care,  for  many  of  them  are 
capable  of  inflicting  severe  wounds.  Never  aim  a  bended  bow 
with  arrow  set  at  a  companion  or  friend,  for  a  little  slip  may 
cause  irreparable  harm.  Even  a  blunt  arrow  propelled  from  a 
barrel-hoop  bow  has  sufficient  force  to  destroy  an  eye  or  make 
a  severe  bruise.  A  true  sportsman  has  the  greatest  respect  for 
his  weapons  and  handles  them  with  scrupulous  care. 


! 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
TRAPS  AND  TRAPPINGS. 

Summer  is  over.   Again  the  air  becomes  cooler    Th  . 
hats  are  discarded,  so  also  are  th^  r  ^'""^^ 
up  heavier  clothing  fo  aithoueh  the"  *° 
the  nights  are  gro;ing  chTr^EvIn  T 
seek  the  shad,  Ide  of  tit;;etst^:oal™?^  "° 

apprL^hlnrltet  ^'Lcltrd'^'^T  ^-^-'-"^^ 

tree  to  his'nest  under  ^''^  "^^^^ 

brown-coated,  striped-back    °     ^    •  "''""^'^  '"'"le 

thepileof  be;ch  rs  3L*e?irh?  '"^  ^'^''"^ 

dent  little  fellow     9.  ^^"''^^'^     the  storehouse  of  this  provi- 

the  gra/s  t;:,  Z^T btl"^ 

"P  a  supply  of  winter  stores  The  bird  '"l'^'^  '^^''"^ 
flocks,  with  noisy  twittering  and  excttflX^-'*"'"-"  '^'^^ 
to  their  yearly  pilgrim,,e ''to  the  Sutny  StT"'^rb''"'°'->' 
hare  is  thinking  of  discardino-  ,>=  bouncing 
donning  its  white  winter  fcs  TheT"  °'  ^"'^ 
shine  like  red  fire  wreath./        J\  '^^  ^'"^ 

seems  busy  goi„.  thTou ."t"  l^" 

preparation^!  visible  ":fyVherT"'°™'"°"  °f  ^ 

y      seen  in  the  stubble-fields  manceuvreing  like  well- 


2IO  Autumn. 


drilled  soldiers  promptly  obeying  every  command  of  their 

masters.  .       .     ,  . 

And  far  and  wide— in  the  cold  Northern  regions,  m  the  pme 
woods  of  Maine,  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  of  the  West-the 
hardy  trappers  are  busy  collecting  their  traps  and  makmg  prep- 
arations, or  are  already  engaged  in  their  annual  campaign 
against  all  fur-bearing  animals. 

In  order  that  my  reader  may  not  be  behind  the  season, 
this  chapter  is  devoted  to  the  description  of  a  few  simple  but 
effective  traps  and  snares,  such  as  may  be  made  of  the  material 
always  at  hand,  with  the  aid  of  a  pocket-knife,  hatchet,  or  other 
tools  within  the  reach  of  boys. 

Rats. 

We  have  in  North  America  more  than  fifty  kinds  of  rats 
and  mice,  the  largest  of  which  is  the  muskrat.  Next  in  size 
comes  the  great,  ugly  brown  rat. 

More  than  three  hundred  years  ago  the  black  rat  found  its 
way  from  Europe  to  this  country,  settled  here  with  our  ances- 
tors, and,  like  them,  increased  and  prospered.    The  black  rat  is 
rather  a  neater  and  prettier  animal  than  the  now  omnipresent 
Norway  brown  rat.    The  latter  is  of  Asiatic  origin,  and  appears 
to  have  made  its  way  to  this  country  since  the  advent  of  the 
black  rat,  which  it  has  supplanted  and  almost  exterminated. 
The  roof  rat  in  the  Southern  States  came  originally  from 
Egypt,  and  the  little  brown  mouse  that  creates  so  much  mis- 
chief in  our  closets  is  of  Asiatic  parentage.    All  rats  may  be 
caught  in  traps,  and  for  an  amateur  trapper  the  house  rat  is  a 
go6d  subject  to  practice  on.    By  no  means  a  fool  among  ani- 
mals, possessing  a  due  regard  for  his  own  safety,  and  looking 
with  suspicion  upon  most  traps,  the  Norway  brown  rat  is  not 
so  easily  caught  as  one  who  has  never  baited  a     figure  four 
might  suppose.    A  very  successful  way  to  capture  house  rats 


Traps  and  Trappings. 


211 


s  to  carefu  ly  close  all  the  doors  of  the  kitchen,  barn,  or  room 
nfested  wUh  then>,  and  after  removing  all  small  obj;cts  from 
the  floor,  ba,t  each  hole  with  crumbs  of  meal  and  cheese  ove" 
he  holes  place  httle  doors  made  of  tin  or  wire,  hung  oi 
strmgs  or  screw-eyes,  these  doors  open  but  one  way  and  are  o 
arranged  that  the  rat  can  easily  push  the  door  open  from  the 
ins.de.  but  as  soon  as  the  animal  makes  its  appearance  in 
the  room  the  door  falls  back  into  place,  thus  cuttin.  off  aU 
retreat.    In  a  short  time  the  room  will  be  overrun  wfth  rats 

The  Paper  Pitfall. 
Over  the  top  of  an  earthenware  jar  fasten  a  piece  of  writing 


Fig.  136.— a  Mouse  Trap. 


212 


Autumn. 


paper,  tightly  binding  it  with  a  string  or  elastic  band.  In  the 
centre  of  the  paper  cut  a  cross  as  shown  in  the  illustration 
(Fig.  136).  Set  the  jar  in  the  closet  and  suspend  by  a  string  a 
piece  of  toasted  cheese  over  the  centre  of  the  jar.  If  there  are 
any  mice  in  the  closet  the  bait  will  attract  them,  but  just  as 
soon  as  the  first  mouse  reaches  the  centre  of  the  paper  he  will 
drop  into  the  jar,  and  the  paper  will  flyback  in  place  again  ready 
for  the  next  comer.  A  trap  arranged  in  the  same  manner  can 
be  used  for  the  capture  of  field  mice,  shrews,  and  harvest  mice, 
some  of  which  make  odd  and  amusing  pets.  All  of  these  pretty 
little  animals  may  be  found  in  the  fields  or  under  brush  heaps 
in  the  clearings.  A  barrel  covered  with  stiff  brown  paper  can 
be  used  for  common  rats,  but  they  will  gnaw  out  unless  the 
barrel  be  partly  filled  with  water. 

Jug  Trap. 

An  old  earthenware  jug  with  a  small  hole  knocked  in  the 

upper  part  may  be 
utilized  as  a  trap 
for  small  burrow- 
ing animals.  Bury 
the  jug  in  the  earth 
(Fig.  137)  near  the 
haunts  of  the  ani- 
mal you  are  after ; 
then  arrange  an  ar- 
tificial burrow  ex- 
tending from  the 
surface  of  the 
ground  to  the  hole 

FIG.  i37.-01d  Jug  Trap.  ^^^^^^  .^^  . 

strew  appropriate  bait  along  the  passageway,  and  although 
Jhe  little  creatures  might  hesitate  to  enter  a  broken  jug  above 


Traps  and  Trappings. 


213 

ground,  they  are  said  to  have  no  fear  of  one  beneath  the  sod 
and  either  jump  or  fall  inside,  where  they  may  be  allowed  to 
remain  some  time  with  no  fear  of  their  escaping. 
The  jug  trap  is  only  suitable  for  small  animals. 

The  Mole  and  How  to  Trap  Him. 

Moles  are,  generally  speaking,  harmless  creatures  who  ren- 
der the  farmer  a  great  service  by  devouring  immense  quanti- 
ties of  grubs  and  larvae ;  but  when  one  of  these  little  animals 
finds  Its  way  under  the  sod  of  the  lawn  it  plays  sad  havoc 
with  the  looks  of  the  grass,  furrowing  the  surface  with  ridges 
and  marring  the  appearance  by  dirt  hills.  ' 

From  the  fact  that  the  mole  travels  under  ground,  I  have 
spent  considerable  time  in  trying  to  find  a  trap  to  catch  this 
subterranean  animal.  Among  we  boys  that  lived  in  the  valley 
of  the  Ohio  River,  a  mole  skin  was  highly  prized  as  a  sort  of 

1  e  1 1  c  h   that,  when  ^ 

used  as  a     knuckle  ^  '=^=^ 

dabster"  to  rest  our 

hands  on  in  a  game  of 

marbles,     not  only 

prevented  our  hands 

from  becoming  soiled 

— which  was  no  great 

matter—but  also  in- 
sured good  luck  to 

the  happy  boy  who 

possessed  a  knuckle 

dabster  made  of  a  mole  skin.  There  are  but  very  few  animals 
that  can  boast  of  fur  as  soft  and  fine  as  that  which  covers  the 
back  of  the  common  mole. 

A  mole  trap  can  be  made  in  the  old  reliable  figure  four 
style,  with  which  most  of  my  readers  are  no  doubt  familiar. 


Fig.  138.— Construction  of  the  Figure  Four. 


214 


Autumn. 


The  Figure  Four 

is  made  of  three  sticks  ;  a  catch-stick,  A,  an  upright,  B,  and  a 
trigger,  C  (Fig.  138).  When  these  sticks  are  set  in  the  position 
shown  by  the  diagram,  and  a  weight  allowed  to  rest  on  the  top 
of  the  catch.  A,  the  sticks  will  keep  their  positions  and  support 
the  weight  until  the  trigger,  C,  is  touched. 

At  the  slightest  derangement  of  the  trigger  all  the  sticks 
fall,  and  the  weight  above,  being  left  without  a  support,  instantly 
drops  to  the  ground.  This  trap  has  been  ingeniously  adapted 
to  the  purpose  of  a 

Mole  Trap. 

A  heavy  weight  is  fastened  on  a  piece  of  plank  or  board 
for  a  deadfall ;  in  the  centre  of  the  board  some  sharp-pointed 
spikes  or  nails  are  driven,  so  that  the  pointed  ends  extend  sev- 


FiG.  139.— Mole  Trap. 


eral  inches  below  the  deadfall  (see  Fig.  139).  This  trap  should 
be  set  over  a  fresh  mole-way,  no  bait  need  be  used. 

First  press  down  the  loose  earth  in  a  line  across  the  ridge, 
then  set  the  trap  with  a  figure  four,  allowing  the  trigger-stick  to 
rest  in  the  place  where  you  have  pressed  down  the  earth  across 


Traps  mid  Trappings,  215 

the  mole  hill.  The  trap  should  be  so  arranged  that  the  sharp 
spikes  will  be  directly  over  the  hill.  The  next  time  the  mole 
makes  his  way  through  the  underground  passage  he  will  sooner 
or  later  come  to  the  place  where  the  earth  has  been  pressed 
down  to  make  room  for  the  trigger. 

When  the  little  animal  reaches  this  point  and  proceeds  to 
loosen  the  earth  again,  the  movement  will  displace  the  trigger 
and  bring  the  dead  weight  down,  pinioning  the  mole  to  the 
.  ground  with  the  sharp  spikes,  to  which  the  loose  earth  of  the 
mole  hill  offers  but  little  resistance,  if  the  weight  be  heavy 
enough.  If  the  skin  of  the  animal  be  desired,  it  is  best  to  use 
as  few  spikes  as  practicable,  for  the  fewer  holes  there  are  in  a 
pelt  the  more  valuable  it  is. 

I  object  to  deadfalls  on  principle,  and  it  is  not  without 
some  reluctance  that  I  include  them  among  the  traps.  As  a 
boy,  the  only  traps  I  ever  used  were  made  for  capturing  animals 
alive ;  but  there  are  occasions  when  it  is  perfectly  proper  to 
use  a  deadfall.  If  the  animal  sought  is  a  nuisance  upon  whose 
extermination  you  have  settled  for  good  reasons,  then  use  a 
deadfall,  or  if  you  desire  the  animal  for  food  and  have  no  other 
means  of  capturing  him,  the  deadfall  is  very  convenient.  Sup- 
posing your  supply  of  fresh  meat  has  run  short  at  camp,  or  that 
you  are  on  a  canoe  trip  and  are  placed  under  similar  circum- 
stances, if  there  be  a  rabbit  or  squirrel  in  the  neighborhood 
no  one  will  find  fault  with  you  for  trying  to  capture  the  game 
by  any  means  in  your  power. 

The  Toll-gate  Trap 

is  so  called  either  from  its  resemblance  to  a  toll-gate,  or  from 
the  fact  of  its  being  set  across  the  top  of  ^  rail  fence,  which  has 
been  called  the  -  squirrel's  highway."  This  trap  can  be  made 
m  a  few  minutes  with  the  aid  of  a  pocket-knife  and  a  hatchet. 
The  toll-gate  is  a  deadfall,  and  the  little  traveller  pays  the  toll 


2l6 


Auhifmi. 


with  his  hfe.  With  your  hatchet  cut  a  forked  stick  and  drive 
it  in  the  ground  a  few  feet  from  the  fence  ;  rest  one  end  of  a 
plank  on  this  forked  stick  and  allow  the  other  end  to  protrude 
some  distance  beyond  the  opposite  side  of  the  fence.  Select  a 
heavy  stick  for  the  deadfall,  and  a  very  much  smaller  stick  for 
the  trigger  ;  near  the  end  of  the  trigger  cut  a  notch  for  the  catch- 
stick  to  rest  in.  Sharpen  the  ends  of  two  small  forked  sticks 
and  drive  them  into  spHts  made  near  the  ends  of  the  board 
with  the  corner  of  the  hatchet.  Lay  a  cross  piece  from  one 
forked  stick  to  the  other,  and  with  a  bit  of  string  or  vegetable 
fibre  suspend  the  catch-stick  from  the  centre,  of  the  cross  stick. 
Tie  the  inside  end  of  the  trigger  loosely  to  the  deadfall,  and 
adjust  the  trap  so  that  when  the  end  of  the  deadfall  rests  upon 
the  catch-stick  the  latter  will  hold  the  trigger  an  inch  or  so 


Fig.  140.— Toll-gate  Trap. 


above  the  plank.  To  prevent  the  trap  from  swaying  and  to 
guide  the  deadfall  in  the  proper  direction,  two  upright  guide- 
sticks  should  be  erected  (Fig.  140).  The  weight  of  a  squirrel's 
foot  upon  the  bottom  bar  slips  it  from  the  catch-stick  and  down 
comes  the  deadfall  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  victim. 

This  same  style  of  trap  may  be  made  upon  a  much  larger 


Traps  and  Trappings.  217 

scale  and  set  on  logs  or  trees  that  have  fallen  across  a  water- 
course and  are  used  as  a  bridge  by  minks,  'coons,  or  other  ani- 
fflals.    The  forked  sticks  supporting  the  end  of  the  plank  must 
m  th,s  case  be  driven  into  the  bed  of  the  creek,  and  a  plank 
-  twenty  feet  long  substituted  for  the  short  one  used  in  the  trap 
designed  for  squirrels.  ^ 
be  a  successful  trapper  a  boy  must  be  a  keen  observer  of 
the  habits  of  the  game  ;  by  this  means  he  will  soon  learn  to 
take  advantage  of  the  very  means  designed  by  Nature  as  a  pro- 

lood°fl         I  P-'"dges  are  not 

good  flyers,  but  their  unobtrusive  coats  mingle  and  blend  so 
closely  with  the  stubble  as  to  take  a  sharp  eye  to  detect  their 
presence  ;  hence  we  find  that  these  birds  are  loth  to  take  to  the 
wing,  but  will  run  along  any  s%ht  obstruction  they  meet 
poking  their  heads  about  to  find  an  outlet,  apparently  neve; 
once  thinking  of  surmounting  both  the  difficulty  and  the  obstruc- 
tion by  using  their  wings.  The  "  down  East"  Yankee  boys 
are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  habits  of  the  partridge  and 
catch  a  great  many  of  them  by  building  little  hedges  like  the 
one  in  the  illustration  entitled 


.     The  Partridge  Snare. 

'k"'  r  '''i'  '"""^'^  '  ^"P-"°°=^  '"-de  of  string. 
Make  a  bow-hne  knot  (Fig.  58,  diagram  XIII.,  described  on 
page  76)  ,n  one  end  of  a  piece  of  common  string  o  fish  line  slip 
the  other  end  of  the  string  through  the  loop  and  make  the' fr  e 
end  fast  to  the  top  of  an  arch  made  of  a  bent  stick  (see  Fig  VZ 

fen^e'^'Tt.  '■^^'''"^  SrouL,  build  at w 

fence  01  sticks,  brush  or  stones,  leaving  openings  at  interva  I 
only  large  enough  to  fit  in  arched  gateways     Make  an  arch  To 
each  opening  and  arrange  a  slip-noose  in  each  archway  ;  7pJZ 
he  loops  apart  and  keep  them  in  this  position  by  cJlZt 
the  strings  slightly  into  notches  made  upon  the  outside  o? 


2l8 


Autumn. 


the  arch  (see  Fig.  141).  The  birds,  when  they  seek  their  ac- 
customed feeding  place,  will  walk  into  the  semi-circle,  and  in 
searching  for  an  outlet  they  will  go  poking  their  heads  about 
until  they  come  to  an  archway ;  here  they  thrust  their  heads 
through  the  slip-noose,  and  as,  instead  of  backing  out,  a  part- 


FiG.  141. — The  Partridge  Snare. 

ridge  will  try  to  force  its  way  through,  the  noose  tightens  and 
holds  the  bird  a  prisoner.  Sometimes  the  youthful  trapper  will 
find  the  lifeless  body  of  a  rabbit  with  the  fatal  noose  around  its 
neck,  and  often  he  will  miss  one  or  two  of  his  arches  that  have 
been  uprooted  and  carried  away  by  large  game  becoming  en- 
tangled, and  walking  off,  carrying  arch,  noose,  and  all  with 
them.  This  partridge  snare  will  also  catch  quail  or  prairie 
chickens. 

Set-Line  Snares. 

Snares  when  used  for  catching  birds  alive  should  be  closely 
watched  ;  which  will  not  only  prevent  the  captured  wild  birds 
from  beating  themselves  to"  death,  but  will  save  them  from  suf- 
fering any  more  pain  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 


Traps  and  Trappings. 


219 


Select  a  smooth  piece  of  ground  and  drive  two  stakes;  to 
these  attach  a  long  cord,  allowing  it  to  stretch  loosely  upon  the 
ground  from  one  stake  to  the  other.  At  intervals  along  the 
hne  fasten  strong  horse-hair  nooses  (Fig.  142).    Sprinkle  food 


Fig.  142.— Set- Line  Snares. 

around  and  retire  out  of  sight  to  watch.    When  the  birds  dis- 
cover the  food  they  will  collect  around  it,  and  some  one  of  them 
IS  almost  certain  to  become  entangled  in  one  of  the  snares  As 
soon  as  a  bird  is  snared  it  should  be  disentangled  and  put  into 
a  covered  basket  or  a  paper  bag ;  pin-holes  may  be  made  in  the 
bag  to  al  ow  the  air  to  enter.   In  this  way  birds  may  be  carried 
home  without  injury ;  being  in  the  dark  they  are  not  likely  to  hurt 
or  disfigure  themselves  by  struggling  for  their  liberty.    A  cage 
IS  not  only  an  awkward,  unwieldy  contrivance  to  carry  in  the 
field  but  is  objectionable  from  the  fact  that  a  wild  bird  caught 
and  thrust  into  a  cage  will  bruise  its  head  and  wings  badly  by 
striking  against  the  bars  in  the  efforts  it  makes  to  escape 
J:'aper  bags,  pasteboard  boxes,  or  covered  baskets  will  do-  to- 
carry  home  captured  wild  birds  in. 

The  Spring  Snare. 

■  Make  a  low  arch  by  pointing  both  ends  of  a  stick  and  forcing- 
them  into  the  ground.  Cut  a  switch  and  bend  it  into  the  form 
of  a  lawn  tennis  racket,  and  with  a  string  fasten  the  small 
end  of  the  switch  to  the  part  that  answers  to  the  handle  of  the 


220 


Autumn. 


bat  or  racket ;  just  beyond  the  point  where  the  small  end  ter- 
minates cut  a  notch  in  the  large  part  or  handle  for  the  catch- 
stick  to  fit  in.  Make  a  short  stick,  with  one  end  wedge-shaped, 
for  a  catch-stick.  Drive  a  peg  at  such  a  distance  in  front  of 
the  arch  that  when  the  loop  of  the  spreader  is  slipped  over 
the  peg  the  no,tch  on  the  butt  end  will  come  just  far  enough  to 
allow  the  catch-stick  to  hold  it,  as  in  Fig.  143.  For  a  spring 
use  an  elastic  young  sapling.    After  stripping  off  the  leaves 


and  branches,  attach  a  line  to  the  top,  tie  the  other  end  of  the 
line  to  the  catch-stick,  and  just  above  the  cross  stick  fasten  one 
end  of  a  slip-noose  to  the  Hne.  To  set  the  snare,  bend  the 
sapling  until  you  can  pass  the  catch-stick  under  the  bender 
or  arch,  Figs.  143,  144.  Raise  the  spreader  from  the  ground 
about  an  inch  ;  let  the  catch-stick  hold  it  in  this  position,  and 
spread  the  slip-noose  over  the  loop-stick  )  your  trap  is  now- 
ready.  To  attract  the  birds,  scatter  some  appropriate  bait  in- 
side and  very  little  outside.  The  birds  will  follow  the  trail  of 
food  up  to  the  stretcher,  and  seeing  the  bait  inside  will  hop 
upon  the  stretcher  preparatory  to  going  within.  The  stretcher, 
being  only  supported  by  friction  where  it  bears  against  the 


Traps  and  Trappings,  221 


catch  and  peg,  will  drop  under  the  weight  of  a  very  small  bird 
The  catch  loosened  slips  out  from  under  the  bender,  and  the 
spnng  flymg  suddenly  back  draws  the  slip-noose  around  the 
wmg,  legs,  or  neck  of  the  unfortunate  bird.  Unless  speedily  re- 
leased by  the  trapper  the  bird  will  strangle  or  beat  itself  to 
death  agamst  the  ground,  or  any  objects  within  reach.  AU 
snares  should  be  watched  if  the  birds  are  wanted  alive, 

Hen-Coop  Trap. 

This  rustic  trap  is  sometimes  set  with  an  ordinary  figure 
four  (Fig.  138)  by  the  colored  people  down  South,  and  with 
It  they  catch  a  great  many  wild  ducks  and  other  water  fowl 

1  he  coop  IS  made  of  sticks  piled  up  after  the  manner  of  a 
log  cabm  (Fig.  145). 
To  one  of  the  bot- 
tom sticks  a  withe, 
made  of  a  green 
wand,*  is  attached; 

the  other  end  is  then  "^^^^^^^^^S^^^^^fe^T- 
brought  over  the  top 

of  the  trap  and  at-   

tached  to  the  bottom  Fig.  145.— Hen-Coop. 

stick  upon  the  opposite  side.    The  withe  is  tightened  by  for- 

tTe'sS  V      V  ■  '^^"P-    When  all  is  taut 

th^^t«*sj<eei^t^ieirj>^^  u„,ess  very  roughly  used 

smanlduZ?'  r'f"^'  '""""'"2  "'^  branches  off,  place  the 

ropri'Tli  ,     11".  become  loosened  and  the  stick  looks  like  f 

t°  a  n  and  he     T   ,    "  '"^<^<=-  considerable 

Sham  and  be  not  only  servteeable  in  making  traps,  bnt  answer  for  binding  logs  to- 
gether for  a  raft.    Remarkably  good  and  strong  swings  can  be  made  oflitL  of 


222 


Autumn. 


will  not  slip  out.  Fig.  146  shows  another  manner  of  setting 
the  hen-coop  trap,  by  fastening  a  piece  of  willow  or  any  other 
similar  wood  by  two  strings  or  withes  to  one  end  of  the  coop, 
so  as  to  allow  considerable  freedom  of  motion  to  the  semi-circu- 
lar arch  formed  by  the  willow,  which  should  be  small  enough 


(Fig.  146).  Raise  the  side  of  the  coop,  thrusting  the  crook  on 
the  end  of  B  through  the  fork  on  the  end  of  A,  slip  the  crook 
under  the  edge  of  the  coop,  and  push  the  bottom  of  B  back  in- 
side of  the  willow,  lifting  the  latter  high  enough  to  bear  on  the 
stick  B  and  hold  it  in  position.  A  will  rest  outside  the  coop, 
as  in  the  illustration.  A  bird  hopping  upon  the  willow  wand 
will  cause  it  to  slip  down  ;  this  will  displace  the  stick  A,  loosen 
the  catch,  and  down  comes  the  coop,  enclosing  the  bird.  A 
rustic  trap  of  this  description  can  be  made  without  the  aid  of 
any  other  tools  than  a  hatchet  or  a  knife  for  cutting  the  sticks. 


and  bent  in  such  a  manner 
that  all  parts  of  the  arch  will 
come  inside  the  coop.  Take 
two  forked  sticks  and  make 
the  straight  part  of  one  of  such 
a  length  that  it  might  support 
one  end  of  the  coop.  Cut  one 
of  the  forks  off  the  second 
stick  and  leave  about  two 
inches  of  the  other  fork  on 


Fig.  146. — Hen-Coop  Trap. 


(see  B,  Fig.  146).  Make  B 
about  an  inch  shorter  than  A 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


DOGS. 

What  They  are  Good  For  and  How  to  Train  Them. 

It  is  true  that  a  boy  can  do 
without  a  canine  companion  and 
live  to  enjoy  life,  but  he  is  al- 
most incomplete  ;  he  lacks  some- 
thing ;  he  has  lost  a  gratifica- 
tion, a  harmless,  pleasant  expe- 
rience, and  the  loss  leaves  an 
empty  space  in  his  boyhood  life 
that  nothing  can  ever  quite  fill 
up.  A  boy  without  a  dog  is 
like  an  unfinished  story.  What 

your  left  hand  is  to  your  right  >  i 

tXl  t°ho'r'°  """^  P-ticularly  is  all  this  true  of 

the  lad  who  lives  either  in  the  country  or  within  walking  dis- 
tance of  forest  and  stream.  King  ais 

or  Zl^lcl  '"^  ^  ^  "^""''"g         a  watch  dog 

or  even  a  companion  in  one's  rambles,  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
ha,  he  dog  should  be  educated,  and  where  there  is'^a  bT 
of  doing  so,  It  is  desirable  to  secure  a  young  puppy  No 

foundland,  bull  skye,  greyhound,  pointer,  setter,  or  toy  terrier 
get  the  pup  and  train  it  yourself.  ^  ' 


224 


How  to  Choose  a  Dog. 

"  Blood  will  tell,"  whether  it  flows  in  the  veins  of  a  horse, 
man,  or  dog.    The  reader  can  readily  understand  that  it  would 
be  not  only  absurd  but  absolutely  cruel  to  keep  a  Newfound- 
land, deer-hound,  water-spaniel,  pointer,  setter,  or  any  other  , 
similar  breed  of  dog  confined  within  the  narrow  limits  of  that 
small  bit  of  ground  attached  to  the  city  house  and  dignified  by 
the  name  of  a  yard.    It  would  be  equally  as  absurd  and  almost 
as  cruel  for  a  farmer  boy  to  try  and  keep  one  of  those  expen- 
sive, diminutive,  dehcate,  nervous,  city  dogs  known  under  the 
general  title  of  a  ''toy  dog"  or  "fancy  breed."    The  agile, 
bright-eyed    black-and-tan,"  and  the  delicate  and  graceful  Ital- 
ian greyhound,  are  full  of  fun,  but  as  unreliable  as  beautiful. 
Thoughtless,  rollicking,  exquisites  !    Such  dogs  are  scarcely 
the  kind  either  city  or  country  boy  would  choose  for  playmates 
or  companions.    What  most  boys  want  is  a  dog  that  combines 
the  qualities  of  a  boon  companion  and  a  good  watch  dog.  By 
the  latter  is  meant  a  dog  whose  intelligence  is  sufficient  for  it 
to  discriminate  between  friend  and  foe,  and  whose  courage  will 
prompt  it  to  attack  the  latter  without  hesitancy.    It  must  also 
be  a  dog  that  may  be  taught  to  ''  fetch  "  and  carry,  to  hunt  for 
rat,  squirrel,  or  rabbit,  as  well  as  to  obey  and  trust  in  its  mas- 
ter.   It  should  be  so  cleanly  in  his  habits  as  to  be  unobjec- 
tionable in-doors,  and  should  possess  judgment  enough  to  know 
when  its  company  is  not  agreeable,  and  at  such  times  keep  out 
of  the  way. 

The  poodle  is  perhaps  the  best  trick  dog,  but  is  disliked  by 
many  on  account  of  its  thick  woolly  coat  being  so  difficult  to 
keep  clean.  The  wirey-haired  Scotch  terrier  is  a  comical,  mtel- 
ligent  animal,  and  a  first-rate  comrade  for  a  boy.  The  New- 
foundland is  faithful,  companionable,  and  powerful  enough  to 
protect  children,  to  whom,  if  there  be  any  around  the  house,  it 


Dogs. 


....  ..^.„ 


speaking  of  the  latter,  savs  - 

terrier.    Ihus  he  obtaL  ^^""^  ^"'^ 

and  thn„i      ^  <=^"  d°  almost  anything- 

the  caoacitv  '"7"  °f  ^og  in  its  accompHshments.  In 

is  especially  b'^^^dt;  that  n         ""r"  '^"^  "h''^'' 

theregular  honnl    .    ^   -P"'"-  ^^-^  ^"^^ith 

foundfand  doe     In  ''^^  ^  'he  New- 

acknowledge  this  particular  dog  to  be  about  the  best  for  a 


226  Atthtmn. 


boy's  dog.  With  an  ardor  not  excelled  by  his  young  master, 
the  bull-terrier  will  chase  any  sort  of  game,  and  will  attack 
and  fight  any  foe  at  its  master's  bidding.  Indeed  the  great 
fault  of  this  kind  of  dog  is  that  it  is  inclined  to  be  too  quar- 
relsome among  other  dogs,  and  careful  attention  should  be 
paid  to  correcting  this  fault,  which  may  be  entirely  eradicated 
by  kind  and  firm  treatment ;  but  should  any  canme  bully  attack 
your  pet,  woe  be  unto  him,  for,  unless  he  comes  from  good 
fighting  stock,  he  will  rue  the  day  he  ever  picked  that  quarrel 

How  to  Train  Dogs. 

First  of  all  teach  your  dog  that  you  mean  exactly  what  you 
say  and  that  he  must  obey  you.  To  do  this  you  should  never 
give  a  fooUsh  command;  but  if  a  thoughtless  order  be  once 
given,  even  though  you  repent  it  as  soon  as  it  has  escaped  from 
your  lips,  do  not  hesitate,  but  insist  upon  your  pupil  instantly 
obeying— that  is,  if  the  dog,  in  your  judgment,  understands  the 
order  Never,  under  any  circumstances,  allow  him  to  shirk,  and 
even  a  naturally  stupid  pup  will  learn  to  look  upon  your  word 
as  law  and  not  think  of  disobeying. 

Strict  obedience  to  your  word,  whistle  or  slightest  gesture 
once  obtained,  it  is  an  easy  task  to  finish  the  dog's  education. 
Bear  in  mind  that  there  is  about  as  great  a  difference  in  the 
character  and  natural  intelligence  of  dogs  as  there  is  in  boys. 
Not  only  does  this  exist  between  the  distinct  varieties  of  dogs, 
but  also  between  the  different  individuals  of  the  same  variety. 
All  Newfoundlands  possess  similar  characteristics,  but  each  in- 
dividual varies  considerably  in  intelligence,  amiability,  and  all 
those  little  traits  that  go  to  make  up  a  dog's  character.  I  men- 
tion this  fact  that  you  may  not  be  disappointed,  or  make  your 
poor  dog  suffer  because  it  cannot  learn  as  fast  or  as  much  as 
some  one  you  may  know  of.  And  here  let  me  say,  and  impress 
upon  your  mind,  that  to  make  your  dog  obey,  or  to  teach  it 


Dogs. 


227 


the  mo.t  difficult  trick  or  feat,  it  is  seldom  necessary  to  use  the 

T^T^^  I  t  ^"^""^  ^  sometimes  will  do,  knowingly  and 
wilfully  disobeys,  the  whip  may  be  used  sparingly;  one  sharp 
blow  IS  generally  sufficient;  it  should  be  accompanied  with  a 
reprimand  in  words.  Never  lose  your  patience  and  beat  an 
animal  in  anger.  To  successfully  train  a  dog  it  is  necessary  to 
place  the  greatest  restraint  upon  your  own  feelings,  for  if  you 
once  give  way  to  anger  the  dog  will  know  it,  and  one-half  your 
mfluence  is  gone.  To  be  sure  the  special  line  of  education  de- 
pends upon  the  kind  of  a  dog  you  have,  and  what  you  want  him 
to  do. 

commence  to  teach  to 
_  stand,  at  a  very  early  age,  using  first  a  piece  of  meat,  prais- 
ing and  petting  him  when  he  does  well,  and  reprimanding  when 
required.  Do  not  tire  your  pup  out,  but  if  he  does  well  once 
let  him  play  and  sleep  before  trying  again.  As  he  grows  older 
replace  the  meat  with  a  dead  bird.    The  best  sportsmen  of  to- 

^Z   °T  •  "^'^  ''^  that  the 

mouthing  of  the  dead  and  bloody  birds  affects  the  fineness  of 
their  noses.  To  bring  in  birds,  the  sportsman  has  following  at 
his  heels  a  cocker  spaniel,  large  poodle,  or  almost  any  kind  of 
dog,  who  IS  taught  to  follow  patiently  and  obediently  until 
game  is  killed  and  he  receives  the  order  to  "  fetch." 

To  Teach  a  Dog  to  Retrieve. 

Commence  with  the  young  pup.  Almost  any  dog  will  chase 
a  ball  and  very  soon  learn  to  bring  it  to  his  master.  When  you 
have  taught  your  dog  to  "  fetch."  he  may  be  tried  with  game. 
It  IS  very  probable  that  the  first  bird  he  brings  will  be  badly 
mouthed  ;  that  is,  bitten  and  mangled  ;  to  break  him  of  this 
prepare  a  ball  of  yarn  so  wound  over  pins  that  the  slightest 
pressure  w,  1  cause  the  points  to  protrude  and  prick  any  object 
pressed  against  the  ball.    After  the  dog  has  pricked  his  mouth 


228 


Autumn. 


pnce  or  twice  with  this  ball  he  will  learn  to  pick  it  up  and  carry 
it  in  the  most  delicate  manner  ;  he  may  then  be  tried  again  with 
a  bird.  This  time  he  will  probably  bring  it  to  you  without  so 
much  as  ruffling  a  feather  ;  but  if  notwithstanding  his  experi- 
ence with  a  ball  of  pins  your  dog  still  "  mouths  "  the  game,  you 
must  skin  a  bird  and  arrange  the  ball  and  pins  inside  the  bird 
skin  so  as  to  prick  sharply  upon  a  light  pressure  ;  make  the  dog 
"  fetch  "  the  bird  skin  until  he  is  completely  broken  of  his  bad 
habit  of  biting  or    mouthing  "  game. 

Pointers  and  Setters. 

At  first  you  will  have  to  give  your  commands  by  word  of 
mouth,  but  if  you  accompany  each  command  by  an  appropriate 
gesture,  the  pup  will  soon  learn  to  understand  and  obey  the 
slightest  motion  of  the  hand  or  head.  The  less  noise  there  is 
the  greater  is  the  chance  of  killing  game.  Nothing  is  more  un- 
sportsmanlike than  shouting  in  a  loud  voice  to  your  dog  while 
in  the  field. 

After  teaching  a  dog  to  ''heel,"  ''  down  charge,"  and  to 
hi  on  "  at  command,  you  may  show  him  game  and  teach  him 
to  "quarter"  his  ground  by  moving  yourself  in  the  direction 
you  wish  the  dog  to  go.  The  dog  will  not  be  long  in  under- 
standing and  obeying. 

When  your  pointer  com-es  to  a  point  teach  him  to  be  steady 
by  repeating  softly,  ''steady,  boy,  steady,"  at  the  same  time 
holding  up  your  hand.  In  course  of  time  the  words  may  be 
omitted  ;  the  hand  raised  as  a  caution  will  keep  the  dog  steady  ; 
but  should  he  break  point  and  flush  the  game,  as  a  young 
dog  is  more  than  liable  to  do,  you  may  give  him  the  whip  and 
at  the  same  time  use  some  appropriate  words  that  the  dog  will 
remember  ;  the  next  time  the  word  without  the  whip  will  correct 
him.  After  your  dog  has  been  taught  to  obey,  it  is  well  to  put 
him  in  the  field  with  an  old,  well-trained  dog. 


  Dogs^   229 

As  every  sportsman  has  a  peculiar  system  of  his  own  for 
breakmg  a  dog,  it  is  scarcely  necessary  for  me  to  give  more 
than  these  few  hints ;  only  let  me  again  caution  you  against 
usmg  the  whip  too  often.  Spare  the  lash  and  keep  a  good 
stock  of  patience  on  hand  ;  otherwise  in  breaking  the  dog  you 
will  also  break  his  spirit  and  have  a  mean,  treacherous  animal 
that  will  slmk  and  cringe  at  your  slightest  look,  but  seldom 
obey  you  when  he  thinks  he  is  out  of  reach  of  the  dreaded  whip. 

Pet  Dogs. 

AH  dogs,  whether  intended  for  the  field,  for  pets,  or  for  com- 
panions, should  be  taught  to  follow  at  their  master's  heels  at  the 
command  of  "heel,"  to  run  ahead  at  the  command  of  "hi 
on,   and  to  drop  at  the  command  of  "charge"  or  "down 
charge.''    'When  your  dog  learns  to  obey  these  simple  com- 
mands, ,t  will  be  found  an  easy  matter  to  extricate  and  keep 
your  canine  friend  out  of  scrapes.    Suppose  you  have  a  small 
but  pugnacious  dog  and  in  your  walk  you  meet  a  large  udv- 
tempered  brute  much  too  powerful  for  yourown  dog  to  ma'sterfn 
the  fight  that  IS  certain  to  ensue  unless  by  some  command  you 
can  prevent  it..   The  strange  dog  will  not  obey  you,  but  if  you 
give  the  order  to  "heel"  to  your  own  dog  he  will  follow  with 
his  nose  at  your  heels,  and  the  enemy  will  seldom  if  ever  attack 
a  dog  while  so  near  his  master. 

Study  the  characteristics  of  your  dog,  and  by  taking  advan- 
tage of  Its  peculiarities  it  may  be  taught  many  amusing  tricks 
I  have  a  little  dog  called  Monad,  and  whether  his  master  walks' 
drives,  sails  or  rows  Monad  always  accompanies  him,  even  sit- 
ting in  front  of  the  sliding  seat  of  a  single  shell  boat  for  hours 
at  a  time,  perfectly  happy  and  apparently  conscious  of  the  at- 
tention he  attracts  from  all  people  on  the  shore  or  in  the  pass- 
.ng  boats  ;  the  latter  he  generally  salutes  with  a  bark.  Monad 
will,  when  requested  to  do  so,  close  a  door,  sneeze,  bark  or  sit 


Autumn. 


upon  his  haunches  and  rub  his  nose,  besides  numerous  other 
amusing  tricks. 

One  day  Monad  smelled  of  a  Hghted  cigar  ;  the  smoke  in- 
haled caused  him  to  sneeze  ;  this  gave  me  an  idea;  Hghting  a 
match  I  held  it  toward  him,  at  the  same  time  repeating, 
"  sneeze  !  sneeze,,  sir  !  "  The  smoke  made  him  sneeze,  and  after 
repeating  the  operation  several  times  I  held  out  an  unlighted 
match  and  commanded  him  to  sneeze  ;  the  dog  sneezed  at 
once.  It  was  then  an  easy  step  to  make  him  sneeze  at  the 
word  without  the  match.  Monad  is  now  very  proud  of  this 
accomplishment,  and  when  desirous  of  showing  off  "  always 
commences  by  sneezing. 

In  much  the  same  manner  I  taught  him  to  rub  his  nose  by 
blowing  in  his  face  and  repeating  the  words,  "  rub  your  nose." 
The  breath  coming  in  contact  with  that  sensitive  organ  appa- 
rently tickled  it  and  he  would  rub  it  with  his  paws.  After  one 
or  two  trials  he  learned  to  rub  his  little  black  nose  in  a  very 
comical  manner  whenever  commanded  to  do  so.  By  patting 
your  leg  with  your  hand  and  at  the  same  time  calling  your  dog, 
it  will  learn  to  come  to  you  and  place  his  fore  paws  against  your 
leg.  If  you  take  advantage  of  this  and  pat  the  door  the  next 
time  with  your  hand,  the  dog  will  stand  on  its  hind  legs  and  rest 
its  fore  paws  against  the  door.  Reward  him  with  a  bit  of  meat 
or  a  caress,  and  then  opening  the  door  a  few  inches  go  through 
with  the  same  performance,  giving  the  command  to  close  the 
door  ;  by  degrees,  as  the  dog  learns,  open  the  door  wider,  and 
without  moving  from  your  chair  or  position  in  the  room  give 
the  command,  ''close  the  door,  sir."  The  dog  will  by  this 
time  understand  your  meaning,  and  resting  his  fore  paws 
against  the  panels,  follow  the  door  until  it  closes  with  a  bang. 
Perhaps  there  is  no  simple  trick  that  excites  more  surprise  than 
this.  A  friend  comes  in  and  leaves  the  door  open  ;  you  rise, 
greet  your  friend,  ask  him  to  be  seated  ;  then,  as  if  for  the  first 


Dogs. 


231 


time  noticing  the  fact  of  the  door  being  open,  speak  to  your  dog  ; 
the  latter  closes  the  door  and  lies  down  again  by  the  fireside  in 
a  most  methodical  manner.  The  friend  is  thoroughly  convinced 
that  that  particular  dog  has  more  sense  than  any  other  canine 
in  the  world,  and  ever  after,  when  dogs  are  the  topic  of  con- 
versation, he  will  tell  the  story  of  the  dog  that  shut  the  door. 

In  the  same  manner  innumerable  odd,  amusing,  or  useful 
tricks  may  be  taught,  among  the  simplest  of  which  are  the  ones 
which  excite  the  most  applause  from  spectators.  If  your  dog 
is  fond  of  carrying  a  stick  in  his  mouth,  it  will  be  an  easy 
matter  to  make  him  carry  a  basket.  Take  advantage  of  every 
pecuHarity  of  your  pet's  character,  encouraging  and  developing 
the  good  points,  but  keeping  the  bad  traits  subdued,  and  you 
will  soon  have  an  amusing  and  reasoning  canine  companion. 

Never  throw  a  dog  into  the  water;  it  frightens  him  and 
makes  the  poor  animal  dread  a  bath.  Let  the  dog  wade  at 
first ;  then  by  throwing  sticks  or  other  objects  a  little  further 
out  each  time,  and  commanding  him  to  fetch,  the  dog  will 
not  only  learn  to  swim  after  the  object,  but  also  learn  to  thor- 
oughly enjoy  the  bath,  and  can  even  be  taught  to  dive  and  jump 
off  of  high  places.  There  are  dogs  that  will  jump  from  an 
elevation  twelve  feet  above  the  water.  Always  be  firm  but 
kind;  teach  your  dog  to  have  confidence  in  you,  and  you  may 
place  implicit  trust  in  your  canine  friend,  and  be  sure  whatever 
misfortune  befalls  you,  you  will  have  a  friend  who,  though  he 
be  a  four-footed  one,  will  never  forsake  you,  but  live  and  die 
for  the  master  it  has  learned  to  love  and  trust. 


1 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

PRACTICAL  TAXIDERMY  FOR  BOYS.  j 

To  the  practical  naturalist  a  knowledge  of  taxidermy  is  J 
not  only  an  interesting  accomplishment  from  which  to  derive  \ 
amusement,  but  is  almost  an  absolute  necessity,  an  indispensa-  ! 
ble  adjunct  to  his  profession.  Probably  there  is  no  study  the  j 
pursuit  of  which  affords  such  opportunities  for  physical  exer-  i 
cise  and  real  healthy  enjoyment  as  that  of  natural  history.  It  is  | 
a  study  that,  by  broadening  the  horizon  of  thought,  enlarges  ' 
the  capacity  for  pleasure.  To  the  pride  of  the  sportsman  in  : 
exhibiting  the  results  of  his  skill  and  success,  the  naturalist  adds  ■ 
the  inteUigent  pleasure  of  acquiring  a  more  complete  knowl-  j 
edge  of  the  Hfe  and  habits,  nature  and  anatomy  of  his  trophies,  i 
as  well  as  the  ability  to  detect  at  a  glance  any  unknown  genus  i 
or  rare  variety  he  may  capture  ;  and  here  the  practical  knowl- 
edge of  taxidermy  enables  him  to  properly  preserve  the  other-  ! 
wise  perishable  specimen.  ' 

Captain  Thomas  Brown,  F.L.S.,  says  that  doj/s  ought  to  be  ■ 
instructed  in  the  art  of  stuffing  birds  and  mammals.    So,  boys, 

you  have  good  authority  for  commencing  young ;  but  do  not  i 

suppose  that  after  reading  the  following  directions  you  can  sit  j 

down,  and,  without  any  previous  experience,  set  up  a  bird  as  \ 

neatly  and  perfectly  as  one  of  those  you  see  in  the  museums  or  I 

show  windows.    On  the  contrary,  you  must  expect  to  make  j 

one  or  two  dismal  failures,  but  each  failure  will  teach  you  what  ' 
to  avoid  in  the  next  attempt. 

Let  us  suppose  an  owl  has  been  lowering  around  suspi-  \ 


Practical  Taxidermy  for  Boys. 


233 


ciously  near  the  pigeon  house  or  chicken  coop,  and  that  you 
have  shot  the  rascal.    Do  not  throw  him  away.    What  a  spleii 
did  ornament   he  will  make  for  the  library!    How  appro 
pnate  that  wise  old  face  of  his  will 
be   peering  over  the  top  of  the 
book-case  !  (Fig.  147).   He  must  be 
skinned  and  stuffed  !   With  a  damp 
sponge  carefully  remove  any  blood- 
stains there  may  be  upon  his  plum- 
age.   Plug  up  the  mouth  and  nos- 
trils with  cotton  ;  also  insert  cotton 
in  all  the  shot  holes,  to  prevent  any 
more  blood  oozing  out  and  soiling 
the  feathers.    You  may  then  lay 
him  aside  in  some  cool  place  until 
you  are  ready  to  begin  the  opera-     ■  ^ 
tion  of  skinning  and  stuffing  the  owl  ^47— stuffed  and  Mounted. 

Measure  the  length  of  the  bird,  following  the  curves  of  the 
form,  from  root  of  tail  to  top  of  head,  and  its  girth  about  the 
body  ;  make  a  note  of  these  figures. 

Skinning, 

^^.^^TTf'^-T^''"  ^"-^h  a  position 

that  the  head  w.U  be  toward  your  left  hand;  then,  with  the 
knife  ,n  your  right  hand  you  are  ready  to  make  the  incision. 

With  your  left  hand  separate  the  feathers,  left  and  right,  from 
the  apex  of  the  breast-bone  to  the  tail  (Fig.  148)  Cut  a 
straight,  slit  through  the  skin  between  these  points,  using  the 
utmost  care  to  prevent  the  knife  penetrating  the  flesh  or  the 
inner  skin  which  encloses  the  intestines.  With  a  bird  as  lar^^e 
as  the  owl  you  will  find  that  you  can  easily  separate  the  skin 
from  the  flesh  with  your  fingers,  though  it  may  be  best  to  use 
a  blunt  instrument,  such  as  a  small  ivory  paper-cutter,  to  reach 


234 


Autumn, 


the  back  by  passing  it  underneath  the  skin.  In  removing  the 
skin  you  must  try  to  shove  in  lieu  of  puUing,  lest  you  stretch 
it  out  of  shape.  Press  as  lightly  as  possible  upon  the  bird, 
stopping  occasionally  to  take  a  view  to  see  that  all  is  right 
and  that  the  feathers  are  not  being  soiled  or  broken.  When 
you  come  to  the  head  do  not  let  the  skin  dangle  from  your 
hand  or  its  own  weight  will  stretch  it.  Bearing  these  things  in 
mind,  you  can  commence  removing  the  skin  in  the  following 

manner  :  Press 
the  skin  apart 
at  the  incision, 
and  dust  the  ex- 
posed part  with 
Indian  meal  to 
absorb  any  flu- 
ids that  may 
escape;  care- 
fully lift  the  skin 
on  one  side  and 
separate  from 
muscles  of  the 
breast  with  the 

point  of  your  knife  and  a  small  ivory  paper-folder  alternately, 
as  occasion  may  require,  until  the  leg  is  reached  and  you  have 
approached  as  near  as  possible  to  the  wings.  Having  accom- 
phshed  this,  and  dusted  again  with  the  Indian  meal,  the  thighs 
must  be  pressed  inward  and  the  skin  turned  back  far  enough  to 
allow  you  to  use  your  knife  and  disarticulate  the  hip-joint. 
Bend  the  tail  toward  the  back  ;  keep  down  the  detached  skin 
upon  each  side  of  the  incision  with  the  thumb  and  first  finger 
of  the  left  hand  ;  then  with  your  knife  make  a  deep  cut,  expos- 
ing the  backbone  at  a  point  near  the  oil  gland,  which  you  will 
find  near  the  root  of  the  tail ;  sever  the  backbone  near  this 


Fig.  148. — The  Incision. 


^         Practical  Taxideriny  for  Boys.  235 

in        Vt'        °/       ''"^^  ""^""^  denuded  of  the  skin 

n  he  left  hand  and  peel  the  skin  upward  to  the  wings ;  dunn^ 
th  s  opera  , on  your  knife  or  small  scissors  may  be  used  tf 
cut  any  of  the  tendons  which  are  met  with.  Separate  the 
wmgs  from  the  body  at  the  shoulder-joint.    Next  turn  your 

the  head  after  the  manner  of  removing  a  kid  glove  from  the 
finger,  until  the  back  part  of  the  skull  is  laid  hare  •  T  I 
your  knife  detach  the  vertebr.  (neck  Ln  )  tm' the^rad 
Th.s  w,ll  sever  all  connection  between  the  body  and  he  skit 
The  dismembered,  denuded  carcass  may  be  thrown  as  de  and 

an  owl  IS  so  large  m  proportion  to  the  neck  that  care  must  be 

th:  sLin'T"freat'  d^T  f  "^^"^  "^^^  '^^  --^^ 
the  Skin.     A  great  deal  depends  upon  the  delicacy  of  your 

touch,  especially  when  you  reach  the  eyes.    Work  s  owly  'c 

the  ears  close  to  the  skull;  do  not  cut  either  the  eyelid  o'r  the 

eyeball,  but  separate  them  carefully;  then  removf  he  eyes 

which  can  be  done  by  breaking  the  slender  bones  wWch  sept 

rate  the  orbits  (eye-holes)  in  the  skull  from  the  top  of  The 

mouth.    Cut  away  all  flesh  from  the  neck;  at  the  same  tirne 

remove  a  small  portion  of  the  base  of  the  sUll.    Through  the 

opening  thus  made  extract  the  brains  with  a  small  spoon  or 

ome  similar  mstrument,  after  which  draw  the  tongue  throueh 

neaci  and  neck,  and  scraping  out  the  eye-holes,  paint  then. 
carefutTort  *'^^''>'  with  cotton.  B 

Te  eft  in  LI     ;   ft        '""^  ^  '^e  skull  must 

soU  and  £ -rwith'r.*^  ^'''^ 

The  wings  and  legs  still  remain  intact.    Push  back  the  wings 


236 


Autumn. 


to  the  first  joint  ;  lay  the  bones  bare,  removing  all  the  meat. 
Paint  with  arsenical  soap  and  return  them  to  their  places.  Go 
through  the  same  process  with  the  legs  and  rump  ;  and  after  all 
flesh  and  fatty  matter  have  been  removed,  paint  the  whole  inte- 
rior of  the  skin  thoroughly  with  arsenical  soap,  and  you  are 
ready  to  begin'  the  operation  of 

Stuffing. 

Take  a  piece  of  straight  wire  (size  20)  equal  in  length  to  the 
measurement  you  made  from  root  of  tail  to  top  of  head  ;  wind 

about  it  a  bunch  of  excelsior 
(straw  will  answer  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  excelsior  shav- 
ings) ;  secure  this  to  the  wire 
by  repeated  wrappings  of 
stout  thread,  and  mould  the 
bundle  into  a  shape  resemb- 
ling the  bird's  body  ;  regu- 
late the  girth  by  the  measure- 
ment you  noted  down  for 
that  purpose  before  you  com- 
menced the  skinning  process. 
When  you  have  completed 
the  artificial  body  there  will. 

Fig.  149.— Owl-Skin  and  False  Body.         of  COUrse,  be  a  portion  of  the 

wire  still  bare,  which  represents  the  neck.  File  the  extremity 
of  this  wire  to  a  sharp  point,  then  force  it  diagonally  up  through 
the  skull  to  the  top,  where  it  must  be  clinched  ;  wrap  the  neck 
wire  between  the  artificial  body  and  the  head  with  cotton  bat- 
ting (Fig.  149).  Now  draw  the  skin  back  so  as  to  cover  the- 
artificial  neck  and  body. 

The  eyelids  must  be  carefully  pulled  in  place  over  the  cot- 
ton in  the  eye-holes,  or  orbits  ;  pull  the  eyelids  up  nicely,  to 


Practical  Taxidermy  for  Boys,  237 


make  the  parts  about  the  eye  appear  plump  and  natural  Push 
more  cotton  down  the  throat  until  it  has  a  round,  real  look.  For 
the  legs  use  two  pieces  of  wire,  each  sharpened 
at  one  end.  The  taxidermist  must  shove  the 
wire  through  the  ball  of  the  foot  and  guide  it 
with  the  other  hand  up  along  the  side  of  the 
bones  of  the  leg,  the  skin  being  turned  back 
for  that  purpose  (Fig.  1 50).  This  figure  shows 
the  leg  with  skin  turned  back,  as  it  appears 
when  the  wire  is  pushed  through. 

Wind  cotton  around  both  wire  and  bone 
to  the  natural  thickness  of  the  thigh,  and  go 
through  the  same  process  with  the  other  leg ; 
then  push  the  wires  clear  through  the  artificial 
body  and  bend  the  protruding  ends  into  a  hook 
form  (Fig.  151).  Taking  hold  at  the  part  ex- 
tending from  the  bottom  of  the  foot,  pull  the 
wire  of  each  leg  down  until  the  hooks  fasten  firmly  into  the 

body.  The  ends  of  the 
wires  protruding  from 
the  foot  are  left  to  fas- 
ten the  bird  to  its 
perch,  which  is  done 
either  by  wrapping 
the  wires  around  the 
perch  or  by  thrusting 
them  through  holes 
made  for  the  purpose 
and  clinching  the 
ends.    With  a  few 

Fig.  i5i._Showing  how  L,eg-Wire  is  attached  to  False  Stitches    sew    up  the 


Fig.  150.— Wiring 
the  Leg. 


Body. 

small  birds  this  is  not  necessarv 


hole  in  the  breast.  For 
After  your  owl  is  set  up  in 


238 


this  manner,  gather  the  wings  up  close  to  the  body  and  fasten 
them  there  by  thrusting  two  wires,  one  from  each  side,  diagon- 
ally through  the  skin  of  the  second  joint. 

If  you  wish  the  tail  to  be  spread  you  must  push  a  wire 
across  the  body  through  each  feather. 

Eyes  can  be  made  of  white  marbles  painted  yellow  with 
black  centres,  but  glass  eyes  are  better  and  cost  very  little.  To 
fix  the  eyes,  put  a  touch  of  glue  upon  the  cotton  in  each  orbit 
and  insert  the  glass  eyes,  being  careful  to  place  them  properly 
under  the  eyelids  ;  with  a  sharp  needle  pull  the  lids  nicely  in 
place. 

The  stuffing  of  the  bird  is  now  finished,  and  it  may  be  placed 
upon  the  branch  in  some  natural  position  (Fig.  147,  page  233). 

The  attitude  fixed,  it  only  remains  to 
put  the  feathers  in  their  natural  order  as 
smoothly  and  regularly  as  possible,  and  to 
keep  them  in  place  by  winding  a  thread 
over  the  body  very  loosely,  beginning  at 
the  head  and  winding  until  all  the  feathers 
are  secured  (Fig.  152).  The  bird  must  be 
left  in  some  dry  place  for  several  days. 
When  it  is  perfectly  dry  the  thread  may  be 
taken  off  and  all  protruding  wires  cut  close 
to  the  body.  The  specimen  is  now  ready 
for  the  parlor  or  library. 

The  above  directions,  with  very  little 
modification,  will  serve  for  any  other  bird. 
For  practice,  a  chicken  is  the  best  subject, 
as  it  is  easily  obtained  and  large  enough  not  to  be  readily 
damaged  by  the  awkwardness  of  a  beginner. 

The  more  tools  you  have  the  better,  but  if  my  reader  has 
carefully  read  the  foregoing  description  he  must  have  noticed 
that  during  the  whole  process  of  skinning  and  stuffing  the  owl 


Fig.  152. 


Practical  Taxidermy  for  Boys.  239 

the  only  tools  used  were  such  as  are  within  the  reach  of 
every  boy— a  penknife,  a  paper-cutter,  small  spoon  (a  mustard- 
spoon  will  answer),  and  a  thread  and  needle.  Arsenical  soap  is 
the  only  material  used  not  likely  to  be  easily  procured.  This 
preparation  is  of  course  very  poisonous  and  should  be  so  labelled. 
It  can  be  procured  of  any  taxidermist  or  made  by  any  drug- 
gist from  the  following  recipe  of  Becoeur  : 


Arsenic  in  powder   2  pounds. 

^^^Ph^^   5  ounces. 

^{^^^^^^^P   2  pounds. 

Salt  of  tartar   1 2  ounces. 

Powdered  lime   4  ounces. 


Mr.  J.  Wallace,  the  taxidermist,  recommends  the  following 
recipe:  -Dissolve  ten  pounds  of  finely  cut,  best  white  soap 
m  warm  water;  add  one  pound  of  potash  ;  thicken  with  pipe- 
clay and  a  little  lime  to  give  the  preparation  body  ;  heat  and 
stir  well.  When  cooling  add  ten  pounds  of  arsenic. "  Of  course 
the  young  beginner  will  not  need  any  such  quantity  as  is  repre- 
sented in  either  of  these  recipes,  but  if  he  goes  to  the  druggist 
that  gentleman  can  make  the  soap  in  any  quantity  desired  The 
utmost  care  must  be  observed  in  handhng  this  preparation  and 
keeping  it  out  of  the  reach  of  children  and  animals,  although  it 
IS  not  very  tempting  in  taste  or  looks  and  hence  not  as  danger- 
ous as  other  compounds  might  be. 


A  New  Manner  of  Preserving  Fish. 

The  boys  at  school  used  to  say,  -  You  cannot  eat  your 
apple  and  keep  it."    Being  not  only  fond  of  fishing  and  fish 
but  also  taking  an  interest  in  the  study  of  ichthyology  the 
question  with  me  has  been,  How  can  I  eat  my  fish  and  still  pre- 


240 


Autumn. 


serve  it  for  future  reference  ?  A  few  experiments  and  several 
failures  suggested  a  plan  which  has  proved  partially  successful. 

Having  caught  a  very  large  bass  or  trout  that  you  would 
like  to  preserve  as  a  trophy,  or  some  odd-looking  fish  that  you 
want  to  keep  as  a  specimen,  the  following  is  the  plan  to  adopt : 
Place  your  fish  upon  a  piece  of  paper  of  any  kind  you  may 
have,  or  a  piece  of  birch  bark ;  spread  out  the  fins  and  trace  a 
careful  and  accurate  outline  ;  then  with  your  pocket-knife  re- 
move the  tail  at  a  point  just  beyond  its  junction  with  the  body 
of  the  fish  ;  in  the  same  manner  cut  off  the  fins,  being  careful 
not  to  injure  them  ;  a  small  portion  of  flesh  will  be  attached  to 

each  ;  this  must  be  rsr 
moved  with  your  knife. 
Put  the  fins  in  a  safe 
place,  and  again  taking 
your  knife,  insert  the 
blade  under  the  gill  and 
cut  up  to  the  centre  of 

FIG.  i53.-Portlolio  of  Fish.  ^^^^^  j^^^^  .  gpjj^ 

the  head  down  in  a  line  exactly  on  the  top  to  the  upper  jaw  ; 
carefully  cut  through  this  and  the  lower  jaw  to  where  the  gill 
commences  underneath  ;  this  will  sever  the  whole  side  of  the 
head.  Cut  away  all  the  flesh  from  the  inside  and  remove  all 
the  bony  structures  possible  without  injuring  the  outside.  The 
eyes  can  be  removed  so  as  to  leave  the  outside  skin  or  covering 
unbroken.  Wash  the  half  of  the  head  clean  and  put  that  with 
the  fins  in  your  note-book,  taking  care  to  leave  a  leaf  of  paper 
between  each,  to  prevent  their  adhering  together. 

When  you  reach  home  you  can  have  the  fish  cooked,  and 
while  it  is  cooking  trace  the  outline  of  the  fish  upon  a  clean 
sheet  of  white  paper ;  take  the  fins,  head  and  tail  from  your 
note-book,  dampen  them  with  a  sponge  or  wet  cloth,  and  with 
glue  or  mucilage  fasten  them  in  their  proper  places  upon  the 


Practical  Taxidermy  for  Boys. 


outline  drawing,  distended  by  means  of  pins  ;  the  latter  may 
be  removed  after  the  glue  or  mucilage  is  dry  ;  write  in  one 
corner  the  weight  of  the  fish,  the  date  upon  which  it  was 
caught,  and  the  name  of  the  place  where  it  was  captured.  You 
can  then  frame  it  or  number  the  sheet  and  place  it  in  a  port- 
folio (Fig.  153).  In  the  course  of  a  season's  fishing  quite  an 
interesting  and  valuable  portfolio  of  fishes  can  be  made.  The 
writer  has  often  caught  fish  whose  names  were  unknown  to 
him,  and  in  this  manner  preserved  them,  or  enough  of  them 
to  identify  the  fish  at  some  future  period  when  he  had  time  to 
look  it  up. 


r   nifS.^  ^  Fish. -A,  first  dorsal  fin;  B,  second  dorsal  fin; 

caudal  fin;  D,  pectoral  fin;  E,  ventral  fin;  F,  anal  fin;  b,  operculum  or  gill 
cover  proper ;  a,  preoperculum  or  fore-gill  cover  ;  d,  interoperculum,  or  middle  lill 
cover  ;  c,  suboperculum,  or  under  gill  cover ;  e,  branchiostegous,  or  gill  rays  ;  f.  lateral 


Design  for  a  Sketching  Aquarium. 

If  the  reader  desire  to  try  his  artistic  skill  and  attempt  a 
colored  drawing  of  a  fish,  he  should  do  it  from  life.  To  see  the 
fish  as  It  really  appears,  a  very  simple  contrivance  can  be  made 
in  the  form  of  an  aquarium,  with  wooden  ends  and  glass  sides  ; 
the  wooden  ends  must  have  perpendicular  grooves  in  them  so 
16 


242 


Autumn. 


that  an  extra  pane  of  glass  can  be  used  as  a  sHde  (Fig.  154). 
Place  the  live  fish  in  the  aquarium,  and  when  he  is  on  one  side 
of  it  quickly  slip  the  slide  in  so  as  to  im- 
prison the  fish  in  such  a  narrow  space 
that  he  is  unable  to  flop  or  turn  around, 
but  must  patient- 
ly keep  his  broad- 
side to  the  artist 
until  the  picture 
is  finished. 


Fig.  154. — Cross  Section  of 
a  Sketching  Aquarium. 


Preserving  In- 
sects. 

Great  care 
must  be  taken  in 
killing  insects,  in- 
tended for  the  cabinet,  and  death  should 
be  produced  without  disfiguring  them 
or  rubbing  off  the  down  or  scales  that 
covers  the  bodies  and  wings  of  some 
specimens.  A  convenient  and  success- 
ful way  to  kill  insects  is  to  drop  them 
into  a  wide-mouthed  bottle,  the  bottom 
of  which  is  lined  with  blotting-paper 
that  has  been  previously  saturated  with 
ether,  benzine,  creosote  or  chloroform. 
When  a  butterfly,  bug,  or  beetle  is  put 
into  a  bottle  prepared  in  this  manner, 
and  the  bottle  tightly  corked,  the  insect 
expires  without  a  struggle,  and  hence 
without  injuring  itself.  From  the  bottle 
the  specimens  may  be  taken  and  pinned  upon  a  mounting- 
board,  consisting  of  two  strips  of  wood  resting  upon  supports  at 


Fig.  155.— Mounting-Board. 


Practical  Taxidermy  for  Boys,  243 


each  end,  a  space  being  left  between  the  strips  for  the  body  of 
the  insect.  Under  this  space  or  crack  a  piece  of  cork  is  fastened 
(Fig.  155)  in  which  to  stick  the  point  of  the  pin.  After  pin- 
ning the  specimen  to  the  mounting-board,  spread  the  wings  and 

Fig.  157. 


Beetle,  with  legs  set. 


Fig.  156. — Butterfly  pinned  to  Mounting- 
Board. 


Leg-pin. 


legs  out  in  a  natural  position,  and  if  it  be  a  butterfly  or  moth, 
fasten  its  wings  in  position  with  bits  of  paper  and  pins,  as  shown 
in  Fig.  156.  An  ingenious  and  simple  device  for  pinning  the 
leg  of  an  insect  is  illustrated  by  Fig.  157.  It  consists  of  two 
needles  with  their  heads  driven  into  a  small  pine  stick. 

Morse  Insect  Box. 

Mr.  E.  S.  Morse  gives  probably  the  best  device  for  arrang- 
ing an  insect  box  for  the  cabinet.  It  consists  of  a  light  wooden 
frame  with  paper 
stretched  upon  the 
upper  and  under  sur- 
face.    Dampen  the 

paper  and  glue  it  to  ^  ^ 

the  frame  ;  when  the         Fig.  158.— Cross  Section  of  Morse  Insect  Box. 

paper  dries  it  will  contract  and  become  as  tight  as  a  drum-head. 
Inside  the  box  upon  two  sides  fasten  cleats,  and  let  their  top 
edges  be  about  one-quarter  of  an  inch  above  the  bottom.  Rest 


244 


Autumn. 


the  paper-covered  frame  upon  these  cleats  and  secure  it  in  posi- 
tion. The  bottom  of  the  box  should  be  lined  with  soft  pine  to 
receive  the  points  of  the  pins.  The  space  under  the  frame  can 
be  dusted  with  snuff  and  camphor  to  keep  out  such  insects  as 
dehght  to  feed  upon  the  prepared  specimens  of  their  relatives. 
Fig.  158  shows  a  cross  section  of  a  box  upon  Mr.  Morse's  plan. 

The  Lawrence  Breeding  Box. 

The  best  moths  and  butterflies  are  obtained  by  rearing  the 
caterpillars  in  cages  made  for  the  purpose.  I  am  indebted  to 
Mr.  Albert  Lawrence  for  the  accompanying  plan  of  a  larvae 
box,  invented  and  used  by  himself  for  several  seasons  (see  Fig, 


Fig.  159.— Mr.  Albert  Lawrence's  Breeding  Box. 


159).  The  Lawrence  box,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  diagram, 
can  be  taken  apart  and  packed  away  when  not  in  use  or  during 
transportation. 

The  sides,,  ends,  and  top  are  wooden  frames  covered  with 
wire  netting ;  the  bottom  is  a  flat  board.  They  are  all  joined 
by  hooks  and  screw-eyes.  To  take  them  apart  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  unfasten  the  hooks. 


Practical  Taxidermy  for  Boys.  245 


Spiders 

are  very  likely  to  lose  their  colors  if  placed  in  spirits,  and  if 
pinned  and  dried  like  beetles  they  will  not  only  lose  all  color, 
but  their  bodies  will  shrivel  up  and  change  in  form  and  proportion 
to  such  a  degree  as  to  make  the  specimens  next  to  worthless. 
Mr.  Ralph  Hemingray,  of  Covington,  Ky.,  sent  the  author  some 
spider  bottles  manufactured  under  his  direction  of  very  thick, 
clear,  white  glass,  three  inches  high  by  one 
and  one-quarter  inch  broad,  and  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  thick.  These  bottles 
are  convenient  in  shape,  and  when  a  spi- 
der is  put  in  one  and  the  bottle  filled  with 
glycerine,  the  spider  looks  as  if  it  might 
be  imbedded  in  a  soHd  block  of  crystal. 

I  have  had  some  brightly  colored  gar- 
den spiders  preserved  in  this  manner  for  ,  ^  . 
two  years,  and  they  have  not  only  retained  Fi'^.i-The  Hemingray 
their  origmal  shape  but  color  also.  In  the  ^o\\\q. 
place  of  corks,  pieces  of  elastic  are  stretched  over  the  tops  of 
the  bottles ;  this  allows  the  glycerine  to  expand  or  contract. 
Fig.  160  represents  a  drawing  of  one  of  these  bottles  with  a 
spider  in  it.  A  case  of  specimens  preserved  in  this  manner 
makes  not  only  an  interesting  cabinet,  but  a  very  pretty  one. 
Although  many  persons  have  a  horror  of  spiders,  they  lose  all 
their  nervousness  when  the  insects  are  seen  neatly  labelled  and 
enclosed  in  pretty  glass  bottles. 

How  to  Make  Beautiful  or  Comical  Groups  and  Designs 
of  Insects. 

Many  really  beautiful,  as  well  as  some  absurdly  comical  de- 
signs can  be  made  of  properly  preserved  insects  by  ingenious  lads. 

Butterflies  may  be  made  to  have  the  appearance  of  hovering 
in  mid-air  by  mounting  them  upon  extremely  fine  wire. 


246 


Autumn, 


Grasshoppers  can  be  arranged  in  comical,  human-like  atti- 
tudes. 

Beetles  may  be  harnessed  like  horses  to  a  tiny  car  made  of 
the  half  of  an  English  walnut-shell.  A  very  pretty  design  can 
be  made  by  seating  a  grasshopper  in  a  delicate  sea-shell  of 
some  kind,  and  glueing  the  shell  to  a  bit  of  looking-glass ;  fine 
wires  attached  to  the  shell  will  answer  the  double  purpose  of  a 
support  and  harness  for  a  couple  of  flying  beetles  ;  a  Httle  moss 
glued  around  the  sides  so  as  to  conceal  the  ragged  edges  of  the 
glass  will  add  greatly  to  the  effect,  and  the  whole  will  have  the 
appearance  of  a  fairy  boat  being  drawn  over  the  surface  of  the 
water  by  two  flying  beetles,  guided  by  the  long-legged  imp  in 
the  shell. 

Preserved  insects  are  exceedingly  brittle,  the  least  touch 
will  often  break  off  a  wing  or  leg  or  otherwise  disfigure  the  speci- 
men, hence  it  is  necessary  not  only  to  be  very  careful  in  hand- 
ling them,  but  to  supply  some  sort  of  cover  to  protect  them 
from  accidents,  dust,  and  injurious  insects.  Dome-shape  glass- 
covers  are  best  adapted  for  small  groups  or  compositions,  and 
these  may  be  obtained  from  the  dealers  at  moderate  prices,  or, 
if  the  young  taxidermist  has  acquired  sufficient  skill  to  make  his 
work  valuable,  he  can  readily  trade  off  duplicate  specimens  for 
glass-covers,  as  many  amateurs  as  well  as  some  professionals 
do. 

Marine  Animals. 

Starfish  must  be  first  placed  in  fresh  water  and  allowed  to 
remain  there  for  several  hours  ;  they  may  then  be  removed  and 
spread  out  upon  a  board,  and  held  in  position  by  pins  or  nails 
driven  in  the  board  alongside  of  the  rays,  but  not  into  the 
creature.  Put  the  board  in  a  dry  place  out  of  the  sun,  and  the 
air  will  absorb  all  the  moisture  in  the  specimens  ;  the  latter,  as 
they  dry,  become  hard  and  stiff. 

I  have  several  starfish  preserved  in  this  simple  manner,  and 


Practical  Taxidermy  for  Boys.  247 


although  no  pickle  or  artificial  preservative  was  used,  they  have 
kept  in  good  condition  for  several  years. 

Small  crabs  may  be  dried  in  the  same  manner.  The  flesh 
must  be  extracted  from  the  big  pincers  of  the  larger  crabs  and 
lobsters  ;  this  may  be  done  by  breaking  off  the  points  of  the 
pincers  and  removing  the  meat  with  a  crooked  wire.  The 
points  of  the  claws  should  be  saved  and  glued  in  place  after  the 
animal  is  dry.  The  smaller  claws  may  be  allowed  to  dry  ;  small 
holes  pierced  in  them  will  allow  the  air  to  enter  and  facilitate 
the  drying  process.  The  insides  of  both  lobsters  and  large 
crabs  must  be  removed  from  an  opening  made  underneath. 
Wash  them  with  cold  water  and  inject  carboHc  acid  aad  water 
into  their  extremities  ;  place  them  upon  a  board  to  dry,  with 
their  legs  spread  out ;  after  all  moisture  has  evaporated,  varnish 
them  and  fasten  the  bodies  and  legs  of  the  specimens  to  a 
board  with  fine  wires. 

All  soft-bodied  animals,  such  as  squids  and  slugs,  can  be  pre- 
served in  spirits.  Sea-urchins,  such  as  are  found  upon  our  coast, 
may  be  dried  like  starfish,  but  it  is  best  to  remove  the  insides 
of  the  larger  specimens. 

With  these  suggestions,  sufficient  to  help  the  young  taxider- 
mist, I  will  close  this  chapter.  I  have  purposely  avoided  ad- 
vising the  use  of  expensive  material  or  tools  ;  where  it  was  possi- 
ble, I  have  not  suggested  the  use  of  poisonous  preservatives, 
but  have  given  the  most  simple  and  safe  methods  of  mounting 
specimens  for  the  cabinet  or  for  decorations. 


1 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


EVERY  BOY  A  DECORATIVE  ARTIST. 

Shadow  Pictures— Photographic  Paper — How  to  Enlarge 
or  Reduce  a  Picture,  etc. 

One  day  while  the  author  was  sketching,  a  piece  of  draw- 
ing-paper happened  to  fall  upon  the  ground  in  the  bright 

sunlight.  As  the  paper 
rested  on  the  sward  the 
shadows  of  the  grass  and 
weeds  were  cast  upon  it. 
How  beautiful  and  grace- 
ful they  were !  Stooping 
down  the  writer  passed  his 
brush  over  the  shadows ; 
the  result  was  a  sort  of 
half  silhouette,  an  excellent 
suggestion  for  a  bit  of  fore- 
ground or  a  decoration.  If 
the  thousands  of  amateur 
decorators  that  are  daily  en- 
gaged in  daubing  pictures 
of  all  manner  of  unnatural- 
looking  plants  upon  china 
would  only  confine  them- 

FiG.  i6i.— Shadow  cast  by  a  Dandelion.        selvCS  tO  tracing  in  OUC  Col- 

or  the  simple  shadows  cast  by  plants  in  the  sunlight,  what 
graceful  and  pleasing  designs  Mother  Nature  would  furnish 


\ 


Every  Boy  a  Decorative  Artist 


them  !    How  much  more  pleasant  it  would  be  to  eat  off  dishes 

decorated  in  this  manner  than  to  be  called  upon  to  admire  and 

eat  from  china  covered  with 

**finiky"   little  flowers  or 

broad,  meaningless  daubs  of 

color  intended  to  represent 
something  only  known  to 
the  artist  (?)  who  conceived 
the  design.    Any  boy  can 
make  the  most  graceful  de- 
signs by  placing  a  piece  of 
paper   in    such  a  position 
that  the  shadow  of  a  flower 
or  fern  shall  fall  upon  it. 
Then  with   a   small  paint 
brush  and  some  ink  he  may 
carefully  paint  in  the  shadow 
just  as  it  falls  upon  the  pa- 
per.   Fig.  i6i  shows  a  dan- 
dehon,  a  fac- simile   of  a 
sketch  made  in  the  manner 
just  described.  '  Fig.  162  is 
an  anemone.    Not  only  can 
beautiful  designs  be  made, 
but  valuable  sets  of  botani- 
cal sketches  can  be  obtained 

in  this  manner,  as  no  skill  is       Fig.  162.— Shadow  cast  by  an  Anemone. 

required  with  the  brush  ;  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  follow  the 
shadow  on  the  paper. 

A  wooden  frame  or  stretcher  might  be  used  with  a  candle 
or  lamp  at  night.  By  tacking  the  paper  over  the  stretcher,  then 
placing  a  pot  or  vase  containing  plants  in  front  of  the  light  and 
the  stretcher  in  front  of  the  plants,  the  shadows  of  the  plants 


250 


Autumn. 


will  be  thrown  upon  the  paper  and  show  through,  so  that  they 
can  be  painted  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  paper  without  any 
danger  of  moving  either  the  light  or  plants. 

At  most  of  the  artists'  material  stores  in  New  York  there  is 
to  be  found  for  sale  a  sensitive  paper  which  changes  color  when 
exposed  to  the  Hght.  If  a  shadow  be  cast  upon  this  paper  by 
some  object  between  it  and  the  sunlight,  the  paper  will  grow 
lighter  in  color  all  around  the  shadow,  and  in  a  few  moments 
the  shadow  is  marked  distinctly  by  the  difference  in  tints.  At 
this  stage  the  paper,  which  is  of  a  dark  blue  color,  may  be  re- 
moved, and  if  it  be  held  under  a  stream  of  water  the  parts  that 
were  covered  by  the  shadow  will  become  white  and  remain  so. 
I  have  before  me  a  photograph  of  a  large  di-agon-fly,  which 
shows  all  the  beautiful  network  of  veins  in  the  wings  of  that  in- 
sect traced  in  the  most  dehcate  white  lines  upon  a  background 
of  dark  blue.  I  allowed  the  dragon-fly  to  rest  for  a  few  mo- 
ments upon  a  piece  of  sensitive  paper  and  then  quickly  placed 
the  paper  under  a  hydrant,  with  the  result  described. 

Photographic  paper  is  not  expensive,  quite  a  large  sized 
sheet  costing  only  fifty  cents.  Many  pretty  experiments  can 
be  tried  with  this  material. 

How  to  Enlarge  or  Reduce  by  Squares. 

Suppose  you  have  a  picture  of  a  horse  and  want  to  enlarge 
it.  First  draw  a  line  under  its  feet,  and  at  right  angles  with  this 
Hne  draw  another  Hne  in  front  of  the  horse's  head  ;  divide  these 
lines  into  equal  parts  and  then  carefully  rule  Hnes  across  from 
these  points  so  as  to  intersect  each  other  at  right  angles,  as 
illustrated  by  Fig.  163.  When  the  horse  is  all  enclosed  in 
squares,  take  another  piece  of  paper  and  make  exactly  the 
same  number  of  large  squares  on  the  paper  as  there  are  smaller 
ones  on  the  horse  picture  ;  number  the  squares  on  both  as  in 


Every  Boy  a  Decorative  Artist.  251 


C  7 


the  diagrams  (Fig.  163).    If  you  will  look  at  the  top  diagram 
you  will  see  that  the  horse's  head  cuts  off  one  corner  of  the 
upper  left  hand  corner  square ;  with  your  pencil  make  a  line 
cutting  off  the  same  part  of  the  corresponding  large  square ; 
curve  the  line  like  the  copy.    By  again  referring  to  the  horse 
picture  you  will  notice  that  the  line  of  the 
neck  continued  strikes  exactly  at  the  inter- 
section of  the  lines  i  and  2  ;   draw  it  so. 
The  next  point  the  line  touches  just  above 
is  the  intersection  of  the  lines  2  and  3  ; 
from  this  point  the  line  of  the  back  runs 
almost  straight  to  the 
point  on  the  tail  at  the 
intersection  of  the  lines 
2  and  6  ;  thus,  by  find- 
ing and  connecting  the 
points  of  intersection 
you  may  reproduce  the 
whole  horse  as  illustrat- 
ed by  the  diagram.  In 
a  similar  manner  a 
landscape,  figure  piece 
or  a  plan  can  be  accu- 
-  rately  enlarged  by  a 
boy  who  may  have  little 
or  no  talent  for  drawing, 


Fig.  163.— Enlargement  by  Squares. 


but  who  for  some  purpose  wishes  to  reproduce  a  picture  or  plan. 
By  making  the  squares  on  your  drawing-paper  exactly  the  same 
size  as  those  upon  the  picture,  you  can  draw  a  fac-simile  of  the 
picture,  and  by  making  the  squares  smaller  you  may  reduce  a 
picture.  Remember  these  hints,  for  when  I  tell  you  how  to 
make  a  puppet  show,  although  a  pattern  for  each  puppet  is 
drawn,  there  is  not  space  in  a  book  of  this  size  to  make  all 


252 


A  ttttimn. 


the  puppets  large  enough,  and  many  or  all  may  have  to  be 
enlarged. 

How  to  Make  a  Camera  for  Drawing. 

This  instrument  necessitates  an  outlay  of  from  fifty  cents  to 
a  dollar  and  a  half  for  a  lens  ;  unless  the  reader  is  fortunate 
enough  to  already  possess  a  double  convex  lens,  or  what  is 
known  among  boys  as  a  burning-glass."  A  small  mirror  or 
piece  of  looking-glass,  a  small  pane  of  common  window  glass, 

and  an  old  soap 
or  candle  box, 
or  some  pine 
lumber  of 
which  to  make 
a  box,  is  all  the 
material  re- 
quired. 

Let  the  box 

Camera  for  Drawing.  be  about  eigh- 

teen inches 

long,  nine  inches  deep,  and  twelve  inches  wide  ;  fasteo  the  lens 
in  a  hole  cut  for  that  purpose  at  one  end  of  the  box.  A  piece 
of  looking-glass  must  be  fixed  at  an  angle  of  forty -five  degrees 
at  the  opposite  end  of  the  box.  The  angle  may  be  obtained 
in  this  manner  :  if  from  where  the  top  of  the  glass  rests  against 
the  end  board,  it  measures  nine  inches  to  the  bottom  of  the 
box,  then  the  bottom  of  the  glass  should  be  nine  inches  from 
the  end  of  the  box. 

Grind  the  surface  of  one  side  of  the  window-pane  glass  by 
rubbing  it  upon  a  flat  stone  or  sand-paper.  Make  a  lid  to  the 
top  of  the  box,  as  shown  in  the  illustration,  and  under  the  lid 
fasten  the  ground  glass.  Paint  or  blacken  the  inside  of  the  box, 
and  adjust  the  parts  by  experiment,  so  that  when  the  lens  is 


Every  Boy  a  Decorative  Artist. 


253 


turned  toward  any  object,  that  object  will  be  immediately  re- 
flected upon  the  piece  of  ground  glass.  No  great  difficulty 
need  be  anticipated  by  any  one  in  the  adjustment  of  the  parts 
of  a  camera  obscura,  as  it  can  be  easily  arrived  at  by  trial. 

If  a  piece  of  drawing-paper  be  placed  over  the  ground  glass, 
and  the  lens  turned  toward  some  object,  that  object  will  be  re- 
flected upon  the  glass  and  shown  through  the  paper  in  all  its 
natural  colors,  strong  enough  to  be  accurately  traced  and  re- 
produced. 

In  this  manner  considerable  amusement  and  instruction  can 
be  derived  from  a  home-made  camera  obscura. 

If  one  of  these  instruments  be  taken  into  a  darkened  room, 
and  the  lens  allowed  to  point  out  through  the  window,  every- 
thing that  passes  the  house  will  be  reflected  upon  the  ground 
glass,  making  a  sort  of  moving,  colored,  puppet  show. 


lOinter, 


1 


Fig.  164. — Snow-Fort  commenced. 


.  :  ;         CHAPTER  XXVII. 

SNOWBALL  WARFARE. 

How  to  Build  Snow-Forts— How  to  Make  Shields  and 
Ammunition  Sleds. 

Cold  gray  clouds  have  long  since  usurped  the  heavens  and 
driven  away  the  white,  fleecy  summer  cumulus  ;  the  latter,  like 
the  birds,  have  gone  to  more  Congenial  climes.  For  several 
weeks  past  heavy  overcoats  have  been  in  demand. 

The  rowing  season  has  closed  ;  the  baseball  bats  and  lawn 
tennis  rackets  are  stowed  away,  and  the  college  boys  have  set- 
tled down  to  study  and  in-door  gymnasium  practice. 

In  the  cities  the  car  and  stage  drivers  swing  their  arms 
about  and  beat  their  muffled  chests  in  a  vain  effort  to  start  the 
blood  to  circulating  in  their  benumbed  fingers.  Each  pas- 
senger, as  he  reads  the  morning  paper,  exhales  two  streams 
of  mist  from  his  nostrils.  The  horses  puff  larger  streams  of 
17 


IVinter. 


steam  and  wear  chest  protectors.  Everybody  appears  unhappy 
except  the  school-boy.  The  latter's  cheeks  glow  with  more 
than  usual  color  and  his  eyes  sparkle  as  if  with  inward  merri- 
ment, for  he  knows  the  signs,  and  the  dull,  leaden  sky  to  him 
is  only  a  promise  of  a  big  snow  storm  and  "  lots  of  fun."  The 
frost  king  has  arrived  and  introduced  jolly  old  Winter.  Every 
boy  knows  that  no  season  of  the  year  can  boast  of  more 
healthy  out-door  games,  brimful  of  fun  and  excitement,  than 
winter,  and  that  there  is  no  sport  among  winter  games  more 
exciting  and  amusing  than  snowball  warfare.  The  interest 
and  fun  of  the  game  is  greatly  enhanced  if  there  be  a  fort  to 
capture  or  defend. 

How  to  Build  the  Fort. 

All  the  boys  must  join  in  building  the  fort,  selecting  the 
highest  point  of  the  play-grounds,  or,  if  the  grounds  be  level, 
the  corner  of  a  wall  or  fence.  Supposing  the  top  of  a  mound 
has  been  selected  as  the  place  where  the  works  are  to  be  built, 
the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  make  out  the  plan  of  the  foundation. 
The  dimensions  depend  upon  the  number  of  boys.  A  circle 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  or  a  square  with  sides  of  ten  feet,  will 
make  a  fort  that  will  accommodate  a  company  of  ten  boys.  It 
is  better  to  have  the  fort  too  small  than  too  large.  The  chief 
engineer  must  set  his  men  to  rolling  large  snowballs ;  the 
smaller  boys  can  commence  them  and  the  larger  ones  take  the 
balls  in  hand  when  they  have  gained  in  size  and  become  too 
heavy  for  the  younger  boys. 

Make  these  balls  of  snow  as  large  and  dense  as  possible  ; 
then  roll  them  in  place  upon  the  lines  traced  out  for  the  foun- 
dation. We  will  suppose  it  to  be  a  square.  In  this  case,  care 
must  be  taken  to  have  the  corners  of  the  square  opposite  the 
most  probable  approach  of  the  enemy.  This  will  leave  the 
smallest  point  possible  exposed  to  the  attack,  and  the  inmates 


Snowball  Warfare. 


259 


of  the  fort  can,  without  crowding  each  other,  take  good  aim  at 
the  foe.  After  the  four  sides  of  the  square  are  covered  by 
large  snowballs,  as  in  Fig.  164,  all  hands  must  pack  the  snow 
about  the  bottom  and  fill  up  each  crack  and  crevice  until  a 
solid  wall  is  formed.  Then  with  spades  and  shovels  the  walls 
should  be  trimmed  down  to  a  perpendicular  on  the  inside,  but 
slanting  upon  the  outside,  as  shown  in  Fig.  165.  The  top  of 
the  wall  may  be  two  feet  broad  and  the  base  four  feet.  When 


Fig.  165. — Snow  Fort  finished. 


the  wall  is  finished,  prepare  a  mound  of  snow  in  the  centre  of 
the  square  for  the  flag-staff.  This  mound  will  be  very  useful 
as  a  reserve  supply  in  case  the  ammunition  gives  out  A 
quantity  of  snowballs  should  next  be  piled  up,  inside  the 
walls,  at  the  four  corners.  This  done,  the  fort  is  ready  for  its 
defenders,  and  it  only  remains  to  equip  the  attacking  force. 

The  building  of  a  fort  generally  uses  up  all  the  snow  around 
it,  making  it  necessary  for  the  besieging  party  to  carry  their 
ammunition  with  them  upon  sleds  made  for  that  purpose. 

The  construction  of  these  sleds  is  very  simple,  the  materials 


26o 


Winter. 


and  tools  necessary  consisting  of  a  flour-barrel,  a  saw,  a  hat- 
chet, some  shingle  nails  and  an  old  pine  board. 


How  to  Make  an  Ammunition  Sled. 

To  make  the  sled,  begin  by  knocking  the  barrel  apart,  being 
careful  not  to  spHt  the  head-boards,  as  they  will  be  needed 
afterward.  Pick  out  the  four  best  staves,  as  nearly  alike  in 
breadth  and  curve  as  can  be  found,  and  saw  two  or  three  of  the 
other  staves  in  halves.  Take  two  of  the  four  staves  first  se- 
lected and  nail  the  half 


staves  across,  as  shown 
in  Fig.  i66.  These 
must  be  nailed  upon 
the  convex,  or  outside, 
of  the  staves ;  this  will 
be  found  impossible 
unless  there  is  some- 
thing solid  under  the 
point  where  the  nail 
is  to  be  driven,  otherwise  the  spring  of  the  stave,  when  struck, 
will  throw  the  nail  out,  and  your  fingers  will  probably  receive 
the  blow  from  the  hammer.  To  avoid  this,  place  a  block, 
or  anything  that  is  firm,  under  the  point  where  the  nail  is 
to  be  driven,  and  there  will  then  be  found  no  difficulty  in 
driving  the  nails  home.  When  this  is  done  you  will  have  the 
top  of  your  sled  as  shown  in  Fig.  i66  ;  on  this  you  will  need  a 
box  or  bed  to  hold  the  snowballs  ;  this  you  can  make  of  two 
pieces  of  pine  board  and  two  staves,  thus  :  Take  a  board  about 
the  same  width  as,  or  a  little  wider  than,  a  barrel-stave  ;  saw 
off  two  pieces  equal  in  length  to  the  width  of  the  sled  ;  set  them 
upon  their  edges,  reversing  the  top  of  the  sled  ;  place  it  across 
the  two  boards  and  nail  it  on  securely.    Then  take  two  staves 


Fig.  i66. — Top  of  Ammunition  Sled. 


Snowball  Warfare. 


and  nail  them  on  for  side  boards,  and  you  have  the  top  portion 
of  your  sled  finished. 

The  two  staves  remaining  of  the  four  first  selected  are  for 
runners.  Fit  on  first  one  and  then  the  other  to  the  staves  of 
the  top.  Nail- 
holes  will  prob- 
ably be  found 
near  the  ends  of 
the  staves  where 
the  nails  were 
that  held  the  bar- 

rel-head     in*  ^IG.  167. — Ammunition  Sled  finished. 

through  these  drive  nails  to  fasten  your  runners  ;  to  do  this 
you  must  rest  them  upon  some  support,  as  was  done  before  ; 
this  will  hold  your  sled  together,  but  to  make  it  stronger  take 
four  wedge-shaped  blocks  of  wood  and  sHde  them  in  between 
the  runners  and  the  top,  as  shown  in  Fig.  167,  and  nail  these 
firmly  in  place  from  above  and  below. 

If  all  this  has  been  properly  done,  you  now  have  made  a 
sled  which  it  will  be  almost  impossible  to  break;  and,  with  a 
rope  to  pull  by,  one  boy  can  haul  snowballs  enough  for  a 
dozen  companiofis.  .  ^ 

How  to  Make  the  Shield. 

The  shield  is  made  from  the  head  of  a  barrel.  Lay  the 
barrel-head  upon  some  level  surface,  so  that  nails  can  be  driven 
in  without  trouble. 

From  a  strip  of  board  half  inch  thick  and  two  and  one-half 
inches  wide  saw  off  two  pieces  long  enough  to  fasten  the  parts 
of  the  barrel-head  together,  as  you  see  them  in  Fig.  168. 
Fasten  these  strips  on  firmly  with  shingle  nails. 

Lay  your  left  arm  upon  the  shield,  as  shown,  mark  a  place 
for  the  arm-strap  just  in  front  of  elbow,  and  another  for  the 


262 


Winter, 


strap  for  the  hand.    From  an  old  trunk-strap,  or  suitable  piece 
of  leather,  cut  two  strips  and  nail  them  on  your  shield  at  points 
*  marked,  being  careful  that  the  arm-strap  is  not  too  tight,  as  it 

should  be  loose 
enough  for  the  arm 
to  slip  in  and  out 
with  ease.  This 
done,  you  have  a 
shield  behind  which 
you  may  defy  an 
army  of  unprotected 
boys. 

Rules  of  the  Game. 

The  rules  of  war- 
far  e  governing  a 
snowball  battle  are 
as  follows  : 

Two  command- 
ers, or  captains,  must  be  elected.  If  the  forces  engaged  be 
very  large,  each  captain  may  appoint  one  or  two  assistants,  or 
lieutenants.  These  officers,  after  being  elected  and  appointed, 
are  to  give  all  orders,  and  should  be  promptly  obeyed  by  their 
respective  commands.  The  captains  decide,  by  lot,  the  choice 
of  position. 

In  choosing  sides,  the  captain  who  is  commander  of  the  fort 
has  first  choice,  then  the  two  captains  name  a  boy,  alternately, 
until  two-thirds  of  the  boys  have  been  chosen.  The  defenders 
of  the  fort  then  retire  to  their  stronghold,  leaving  the  boys  un- 
chosen  to  join  the  attacking  army,  it  being  supposed  that  one- 
third  behind  fortifications  are  equal  to  two-thirds  outside. 

Only  the  attacking  party  is  allowed  shields  and  ammuni- 
tion sleds. 


Fig.  168. 


Snowball  Warfare. 


263 


At  least  thirty  yards  from  the  fort  a  camp  must  be  estab- 
lished by  the  outsiders  or  attacking  army,  and  stakes  driven  at 
the  four  corners  to  locate  the  camp.  Imaginary  lines  from 
stake  to  stake  mark  its  limits. 

Each  party  will  have  its  national  colors,  in  addition  to  which 
the  attacking  party  has  a  battle-flag  which  it  carries  with  it  in 
the  assault. 

The  defenders  of  the  fort  must  see  to  it  that  all  damages  to 
the  fortifications  are  promptly  repaired. 

Any  soldier  from  the  fort  who  shall  be  carried  off  within  the 
limits  of  the  camp  becomes  a  prisoner  of  war,  and  cannot  leave 
the  camp  until  rescued  by  his  own  comrades. 

Any  one  of  the  attacking  force  pulled  into  the  fort  becomes 
a  prisoner  of  war,  and  must  remain  in  the  fort  until  it  is  cap- 
tured. 

Prisoners  of  war  cannot  be  made  to  fight  against  their  own 
side,  but  they  may  be  employed  in  making  snowballs  or  re- 
pairing damages  to  fortifications. 

Any  deserter  recaptured  must  suffer  the  penalty  of  having 
his  face  washed  with  snow,  and  being  made  to  work  with  the 
prisoners  of  war.^ 

When  the  outsiders,  or  attacking  army,  can  replace  the 
enemy's  colors  with  their  battle-flag,  the  fort  is  captured  and 
the  battle  is  won  by  the  attacking  party ;  all  fighting  must  then 
immediately  cease. 

But  if,  in  a  sally,  or,  by  any  means,  the  soldiers  of  the  fort 
can  take  the  colors  of  the  opposite  party  from  the  camp  and 
bring  them  inside  their  fortifications,  they  have  not  only  suc- 
cessfully defended  their  fort,  but  have  defeated  the  attacking 
army ;  and  this  ends  the  battle,  with  double  honors  to  the  brave 
defenders. 

No  water-soaked  or  icy  snow-balls  are  allowed.  No  honor- 
able boy  uses  them,  and  any  one  caught  in  the  ungentlemanly 


264 


Winter. 


act  of  throwing  such  soakers  "  should  be  forever  ruled  out  of 
the  game. 

No  blows  are  allowed  to  be  struck  by  the  hand,  or  by  any- 
thing but  the  regulation  snowball,  and,  of  course,  no  kicking 
is  permitted. 

The  following  sketch  of  a  snow  battle  in  which  the  author 
took  part  when  a  boy,  will  give  an  idea  of  the  excitement  and 
interest  of  the  game  : 

A  Snow  Battle. 

It  was  a  year  when  the  Indian  summer  had  been  prolonged 
into  the  winter.  Christmas  had  come  and  gone  and  a  new 
year  begun,  but  not  one  flake  of  snow  had  fallen  on  the  river 
bank  or  neighboring  hills. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  things  one  January  morning  in 
a  Kentucky  town  upon  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  River,  where 
myself  and  some  sixty  other  boys  were  gathered  in  a  little 
frame  school-house. 

We  had  about  made  up  our  minds  that  old  Jack  Frost  was 
a  humbug,  and  winter  a  myth  ;  but  when  the  bell  tapped  for 
recess,  the  first  boy  out  gave  a  shout  which  passed  from  mouth 
to  mouth  until  it  became  a  universal  cheer  as  we  reached  the 
play-grounds,  for  floating  airily  down  from  a  dull,  leaden,  gray 
sky  came  hundreds  of  white  snow-flakes  ! 

Winter  had  come  !  Jack  Frost  was  no  longer  a  humbug  ! 
Before  the  bell  again  recalled  us  to  our  study  the  ground  was 
whitened  with  snow,  and  the  school  divided  into  two  opposing 
armies.  That  night  was  a  busy  one — all  hands  set  to  work 
manufacturing  ammunition  sleds  and  shields  for  the  coming 
battle.  It  was  my  fortune  to  be  chosen  as  one  of  the  garrison 
of  the  fort.  There  was  not  a  boy  late  next  morning — in  fact, 
when  the  teachers  arrived  to  open  the  school,  they  found  all  the 
scholars  upon  the  play-grounds,  rolling  huge  snowballs.  All 


Snowball  Warfare. 


265 


night  the  snow  had  continued  to  fall,  and  it  was  now  quite  deep. 
When  we  went  out  at  noon  a  beautifully  modelled  fort  of  snowy 
whiteness  stood  ready  for  us,  and  from  a  mound  in  the  centre 
floated  the  battle-flag. 

Our  company  took  their  places  inside  the  fortifications. 
We  could  see  the  enemy  gathered  around  their  captain  at 
their  camp  some  two  hundred  yards  distant,  their  ammunition 
sleds  loaded  with  well-made  snowballs.    The  lieutenant  bore 
their  battle-flag. 

Our  teachers  showed  their  interest  by  standing  shivering 
with  wet  feet  in  the  deep  snow  to  watch  the  battle.  At  a  blast 
from  a  tin  horn  on  rushed  the  foe  !  They  separated  and  came 
in  two  divisions,  approaching  us  from  the  left  and  right. 

Now,  boys,"  cried  our  captain,    be  careful  not  to  throw  a 
ball  until  they  are  within  range." 

Then,  calling  the  pluckiest  among  us,  a  flaxen-haired 
country  boy,  to  his  side,  he  whispered  a  word  or  two  and 
pointed  to  the  flag  in  the  enemy's  camp.  The  boy,  who  had 
been  nicknamed  Daddy  "  on  account  of  his  old-looking  face, 
slipped  quietly  over  the  rear  wall  of  the  fort,  dodged  behind  a 
snow-drift  and  then  behind  a  fence,  and  was  lost  to  sight.  For- 
ward marched  the  enemy,  their  battle-flag  borne  in  advance  of 
the  party  to  the  right.  Their  captain  was  at  the  head  of  the 
division  to  the  left. 

Having  engaged  our  attention  on  the  two  flanks,  where  we 
stood  ready  to  receive  them,  as  they  neared  us,  by  a  quick  and 
well-executed  manoeuvre,  rushing  obhquely  toward  each  other, 
the  two  divisions  unexpectedly  joined,  and  advanced,  shield  to 
shield,  with  the  ammunition  sleds  in  the  rear.  It  was  in  vain 
we  pelted  them  with  snowballs  ;  on  they  came,  encduraged  by 
a  cheer  from  the  teachers  and  some  spectators  who  by  this  time 
had  gathered  near  the  school-house. 

Three  times  had  our  noble  captain  been  tumbled  from  his 


266 


Winter. 


perch  upon  the  mound  in  the  centre  of  the  fort,  when  another 
burst  of  applause  from  the  spectators  'announced  some  new  de- 
velopment, and  as  we  looked,  we  could  see  "Daddy  "  with  the 
colors  of  the  enemy's  camp  in  his  arms,  his  tow  hair  flying  in  the 
wind  as  he  ran  for  dear  life. 

In  an  instan,t  the  line  of  the  enemy  was  all  in  confusion  ; 
some  ran  to  head  off  "  Daddy,"  while  others  in  their  ^sxcite- 
ment  stood  and  shouted.  It  was  our  turn  now,  and  we  pelted 
their  broken  ranks  with  snow  until  they  looked  like  animated 
snow-men.  Another  shout,  and  we  looked  around  to  find  our 
captain  down  and  the  hands  of  one  of  the  besieging  party  al- 
most upon  our  flag.  It  was  the  work  of  a  second  to  pitch  the 
intruder  upon  his  back  outside  the  fort.  Then  came  the  tug 
of  war.  A  rush  was  made  to  capture  our  standard,  several  of 
our  boys  were  pulled  out  of  the  fort  and  taken  prisoners,  and 
the  capture  of  the  fort  seemed  inevitable.  Again  and  again  a 
number  of  the  enemy,  among  whom  was  their  color-bearer, 
gained  the  top  of  our  breastworks,  and  again  and  again  were 
they  tumbled  ofl"  amid  a  shower  of  snowballs  that  forced  them 
to  retire  to  gain  breath  and  clear  their  eyes  from  the  snow. 
Once  their  lieutenant,  with  the  red-bordered  battle-flag,  had 
actually  succeeded  in  reaching  the  mound  upon  which  stood 
our  colors,  when  a  combined  attack  that  nearly  resulted  in  his 
being  made  prisoner  drove  him  from  the  fort  to  gather  strength 
for  another  rush.  Daddy"  was  now  a  prisoner,  and  the  re- 
captured flag  again  floated  over  the  enemy's  camp,  when  the 
school-bell  called  us,  fresh  and  glowing  with  exercise  and 
healthful  excitement,  to  our  lessons..  The  battle  was  left  unde- 
cided, but  our  fort  was  soon  captured  by  a  force  stronger  than 
any  our  companions  were  able  to  bring  against  it,  for  a  warm 
south  wind  sprang  up  from  the  lowlands  down  the  river,  and 
our  fortification  quickly  yielded  to  its  insidious  attack,  and  the 
snow  campaign  was  over. 


Snowball  JVarfare, 


267 


How  to  Bind  a  Prisoner  Without  a  Cord. 


A  gentleman  who  was  much  interested  in  the  foregoing  de- 
scription of  snowball  warfare  sends  a'  sketch  of  the  manner 
he  and  his  playmates  used  to  bind  their  prisoners  taken  in 
snow  battles.  The  captive  was  tak- 
en to  a  post  or  smooth-trunked  sap- 
ling and  compelled  to  put  his  arms 
and  legs  around  it  as  if  he  were 
about  to  climb.  The  right  leg 
crossed  the  left  leg,  and  the  toe 
of  the  right  shoe  was  pushed  be- 
hind the  post  or  tree  trunk  in  the 
position  shown  by  the  illustration. 
After  taking  this  position  the  pris- 
oner was  gently  pushed  down  into 
a  sitting  position.  It  is  next  to  im- 
possible for  a  person  so  fixed  to  arise 
without  help.  The  toe  of  the  left 
shoe  binds  the  right  leg  ;  the  toe  of 
the  right  shoe  binds  the  post,  and 
the  arms  can  be  only  used  to  hold 
on  by.  When  a  friend  reaches  the  captive  he  takes  him  by 
the  arms  and  lifts- him  up.  As  soon  as  the  prisoner  assumes 
an  upright  position  he  can  free  himself  without  difficulty. 


A  Prisoner  of  War. 


Company  Rest. 

The  same  gentleman  who  sent  the  above  ingenious  de- 
vice also  tells  of  some  funny  manoeuvres  the  boys  used  to  go 
through.  For  instance,  during  a  lull  in  the  battle,  the  com- 
mander would  call  out  ''  Company  rest !  "  One  man  then  as- 
sumed a  stooping  position ;  the  next  man  sat  on  the  right 


268 


Winter. 


knee  of  the  first  man  ;  a  third  man  would  sit  upon  the  right 
knee  of  the  second  man  and  so  on  until  a  circle  was  formed, 
each  fellow  sitting  in  some  other  fellow's  lap  and  yet  no  one 
sitting  upon  anything  else.  "Thus,"  says  the  correspondent, 
we  all  were  enabled  to  sit  down  without  using  the  damp  snow 
for  a  camp  stool." 


"  Advance  under  Fire." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

SNOW-HOUSES  AND  STATUARY. 

In  "the  land  of  the  midnight  sun,"  the  far  arctic  regions 
where  Jack  Frost  rules  supreme,  where  the  glistening  ice  and 
thickly  packed  snow  covers  the  landscape  almost  the  whole 
year  round,  the  hardy  inhabitants  live  in  huts  built  of  frozen 


Fig.  iSg.—Showing  the  construction  of  a  Snow-House. 

blocks  Of  snow.    The  interior  of  these  icy  dwellings  are  not,  as 
might  be  supposed,  uncomfortably  cold,  but,  on  the  contrary 
are  quite  warm  and  cosey.    Boys  who  are  inclined  to  doubt 
this  may  make  the  experiment  for  themselves.    After  the  first 
good  old-fashioned  snow  storm  has  covered  the  play-ground 
roads,  ana  house-tops,  and  while  the  merry  jingle  of  the  sleigh- 


Winter. 


270 


!lli|ii'SJIlll 


Fig.  170.— a  Snow-House  Finished. 

the  house  exactly  in  the  same  way  as  that  described  for  the 

^"ThtlSrfie  or  boards  or  planUs  co..red  with  snow 
A  barrel  placed  over  a  hole  in  the  roof,  and  ^"rrounded  by 
packed  snow  properly  shaped,  will  make  a  very  good  chm.- 
nev  A  pane  of  glass  can  be  set  in  the  square  hole  made 
for'a  wind'ow  ;  a  heavy  piece  of  carpet  can  be  hung  from  the 
ceiling  over  the  doorway,  so  as  to  act  as  a  curtam  or  if  the 
young  work-people  choose  to  take  trouble  enough  they  can 
put  up  a  framework  inside  of  the  door-way  and   hang  a 


Snow-Houses  and  Stahiary.  271 


wooden  door  to  it  by  leather  or  canvas  hinges.  An  old  stove 
or  a  fire-place  made  near  the  wall  under  the  chimney,  adds  a 
finish  to  the  house  that  will  be  found  quite  snug  and  com- 
fortable as  long  as  the  snow  lasts.  The  fire  inside,  if  the 
weather  be  cold,  will  not  melt  the  walls.  The  pictures  of  the 
house  (Figs  169  and  170)  show  so  well  how  it  is  constructed 
and  how  It  looks  when  it  is  done,  that  very  little  explanation  is 
necessary. 

The  walls  are  made  of  large  snow-balls  properly  placed, 
with  snow  packed  between  them  to  make  the  surfaces  tolerabl^ 
even,  and  then  the  whole  shaved  down  with  a  spade,  outside 
and  ms.de.  It  will  be  found  impossible  to  put  one  tier  of 
balls  upon  the  top  of  the  others  by  lifting  them  in  place,  but 
this  difficulty  may  be  overcome  by  sliding  the  balls  up  an  in- 
c  med  plane  made  of  a  strong  plank,  one  end  of  which  must  be 
placed  upon  the  ground  and  the  other  allowed  to  rest  upon  the 
top  of  the  first  or  foundation  row  of  snowballs. 


Fig.  171.— Making  the  Pig. 


272 


IVinter, 


Snow  Statuary. 

The  statuary  may  be  of  various  kinds.    It  is  very  seldom 


that  pi 


Fig.  172.— a  Snow  Pig. 

rs  are  sculptured  in  marble  or  cast  in  bronze,  and  it 

would  be  well  to 
make  some  of 
snow,  so  as  to  have 
statues  not  likely 
to  be  found  else- 
where.    An  ob- 
long mass  of  snow 
forms  the  body 
(Fig.     171);  the' 
legs,  nose,  and 
ears  are  made  of 
sticks  surrounded 
by   snow,   and  a 
=&=bit  of  rope  nicely 
curled  will  make  a 
very   good  tail. 
The  various  parts 

Fig.  173.— Making  "Frenchy." 


Snow-Houses  and  Statuary,  273 


can  be  shaped  and  carved  according  to  the  skill  of  the  young 
artist.  A  number  of  pigs,  of  different  sizes,  will  give  a  lively 
and  social  air  to  the  yard  of 
a  snow-house.  Fig.  172  shows 
a  finished  pig. 

A  statue  of  a  Frenchman 
in  an  ulster  is  also  rather  un- 
common, and  is  not  hard  to 
make.  The  foundation  of  the 
body,  head,  and  legs  consists 
of  several  large  snowballs,  as 
seen  in  Fig.  173,  and  the  arms 
are  made  of  smaller  balls 
stuck  on  two  sticks,  which 
are  inserted  in  the  body  at 
proper  angles.  When  the 
whole  figure  has  been 
''blocked  out,"  as  the  artists  Fig.  174.— Frenchy  in  Ulster, 

say,  it  must  be  carved,  with  broad  wooden  knives  or  shingles, 

^  into   the  proper 

as  shown 
in  Fig.  174.  The 
moustache  should 
be  made  of  icicles, 
which  may  be 
stuck  in  the  face. 

Arctic  owls, 
which  are  very 
large  and  white, 
can  also  be  made 
of  snow,  in  the 
manner  shown  in 
the  adjoining  pic- 


FiG.  175.— Carving  the  Owl. 


274 


Winter. 


ture.  These  figures  can  be  placed  on  snow  pedestals  if  they  are 
small,  but  if  they  are  monster  owls,  like  those  in  the  illustra- 
tions (Figs.  175  and  176),  they  must  be  placed  upon  the  ground. 

In  either  position,  if  they  are  fash- 
ioned properly,  they  will  look  very 
wise  and  respectable. 

When  the  snow  is  too  dry  to 
make  a  snowball  it  cannot  be  used 
to  make  statuary,  but  after  a  slight 
thaw  or  a  fresh  fall  of  snow  it  read- 
ily adheres  upon  a  sHght  pressure, 
and  can  be  formed  or  fashioned  in 
j^-v-*  almost  any  shape. 

Many  curious  objects  and  fig- 
ures may  be  carved  out  of  solidly 
packed  balls  of  snow.  A  lawn  cov- 
ered with  a  number  of  large  snow  figures  presents  a  most  gro- 
tesque appearance,  and  is  sure  to  attract  the  attention  of  all 
passers-by.  With  practice  not  a  little  skill  may  be  acquired  by 
the  young  sculptor,  and  if  the  statuary  be  made  of  large  pro- 
portions, they  will  sometimes  last  for  weeks  after  the  snow  has 


Fig.  176. — An  Arctic  Owl. 


disappeared  from  the  ground  and  house-tops, 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


SLEDS,  CHAIR-SLEIGHS,  AND  SNOW-SHOES. 

The  construction  of  one  of  the  simplest  sleds  is  shown  by 
Fig.  177  ;  it  consists  of  nothing  more  nor  less  than  three  pieces 
of  board  nailed  upon  two  barrel-staves.  The  barrel-stave  sled 
possesses  tHe  advantage 
of  being  so  simple  in 
design  that  a  child  might 
make  one,  and  although 

this   primitive  sled    can  177 —Barrel-stave  Sled. 

lay  claim  to  neither  grace  nor  beauty,  it  will  be  found  useful  in 
a  variety  of  ways  ;  it  may  be  used  for  coasting,  or  for  transport- 
ing loads  of  snow  when  building  snow  houses,  forts  or  figures. 

If,  instead  of  the  long  top  board,  a 
kitchen  chair  be  fitted  on,  as  shown 
in  Fig.  178, 

A  Chair-Sleigh 
will  be  had.   It  is  necessary  to  nail 
on   four   L-shaped    blocks   at  a 
proper  distance  apart  on  the  cross 
board  to  hold  the  chair  in  place 
(Fig,  178).    Anv  boy  who  is  for- 
MG.  178.-A  Chair-Sleigh.        tunate  enough  to  have  a  mother  or 
sister  who  takes  sufficient  interest,  and  has  the  time  to  accom- 
pany him  on  his  skating  trips,  will  find  a  chair-sleigh  quite  a 
handy  thing  to  possess,  and  when  he  moves  from  one  part  of 


276 


Winter. 


the  ice  to  a  distant  portion  of  the  pond  or  river  he  can  skate 
behind  the  sleigh  with  his  hands  upon  the  back  of  the  chair, 
and  push  his  lady  friend  rapidly  over  the  ice,  adding  much  to 
her  enjoyment  as  well  as  his  own. 

The  cumbersome  wooden  kitchen  chair  is  heavy  to  carry  if 
the  skating  pond  be  far  from  home,  but  a 

Folding  Chair- Sleigh 

may  be  made  from  a  few  sticks  and  pieces  of  leather  for  hinges. 
This  chair  is  made  upon  the  same  principle  as  the  one  described 


Figs.  179  and  180.— Parts  of  Folding  Chair. 


in  the  chapter  devoted  to,  How  to  Camp  Out."  Figs.  179  and 
180  show  all  the  parts  in  detail  as  they  would  look  before  being 
joined  together.  The  seat  may  be  made  of  a  piece  of  carpet, 
canvas,  or  any  strong  material,  the  hinges  of  leather.  Fig. 


Sleds,  Chair-Sleighs,  and  Snow-Shoes,  277 

181  shows  the  chair  after  it  has  been  put  together.  The  runners 
consist  of  skates,  which  may  be  strapped  on  or  taken  off  at 
pleasure,  without  injuring  the  skates  in  the  least.  If  the  chair 
is  to  be  carried 
it  can  be  fold- 
ed up.  When 
the  chair  frame 
is  1  i  fted  th  e 
forked  sticks 
that  support  it 
will  slip  from 
the  notches  in 
the  side  bars 
and  fall  on  to 
the  runner 

bars  ;  the  chair  iSi— Folding  Chair-Sleigh  Ready  for  Use. 

frame  can  then  be  let  down  and  the  whole  frame-work  will  form 
a  flat,  compact  mass  (Fig.  182),  that  can  be  easily  carried  by 
quite  a  small  boy.  By  using  light  sticks,  regular  metal  hinges, 
and  a  prettily  worked  cloth  for  the  seat,  a  very  light  and  beau- 
tiful chair-sleigh  can  be  made  that,  with  the  skates  removed, 
will  make  an  ornamental  parlor  chair  for  summer,  and  when 
the  ice  again  covers  the  surface  of  the  water,  it  will  be  only  ne- 
cessary to  strap  on  the  skates,  and  the  easy  chair  becomes  trans- 


FiG.  182.— Folded  Up. 

formed  into  a  chair-sleigh,  to  be  pushed  about  over  the  glit- 
tering ice  wherever  its  occupant  may  direct  or  the  whim  of  the 
boy  who  forms  the  motive  power  may  take  him. 


278 


Winter, 


The  Toboggan. 

This  sled,  familiar  to  all  who  visit  Canada  or  the  Provinces 
during  the  winter  months,  is  more  like  a  mammoth  snow-shoe 
than  the  ordinary  sled,  sleigh  or  jumper  that  we  are  accus- 
tomed to  see.  It  is  suitable  for  the  deep  snow  and  heavy  drifts 
of  the  northern  countries,  where  the  runners  of  a  common  sleigh 


Fig.  183.— The  Toboggan. 

would  be  liable  to  break  through  the  crust  and  bury  them- 
selves, thus  impeding,  if  not  altogether  stopping,  the  vehicle. 
The  toboggan  presents  a  broad,  smooth  bottom  to  the  snow, 
and  glides  over  the  crust. 

To  make  one  of  these  sleds  you  must  procure  two  pieces 
of  quarter-inch  pine  lumber  eight  or  ten  feet  long  and  one 
foot  wide.  Place  the  two  boards  side  by  side  and  jom  them 
together  by  the  means  of  round  cross  sticks  ;  the  latter  are 
bound  to  the  bottom  board  by  thongs  ;  the  thongs  pass  through 
holes  in  the  bottom  boards  on  each  side  of  the  cross  stick,  and 
are  made  fast  by  a  series  of  "hammock  hitches  "  (see  page  80, 
and  Fig.  159,  E).  Where  the  thongs  pass  underneath  the  bottom 
board  grooves  are  cut  deep  enough  to  prevent  the  cord  from 
projecting  ;  the  grooves  are  quite  necessary,  for  if  the  cords 
were  allowed  to  project  beyond  the  surface  of  the  boards  they 
would  not  only  impede  the  progress  of  the  toboggan,  but  the 
friction  would  soon  wear  out  the  thongs  and  the  sled  would  come 
apart.    On  top  of  the  cross  sticks  two  side  bars  are  lashed  ; 


Sleds^  Chair-Sleighs^  and  Snow-Shoes.  279 


the  front  ends  of  the  board  are  then  curled  over  and  held  in 
position  by  two  thongs  made  fast  to  the  ends.  Fig.  183  shows 
a  finished  toboggan  drawn  from  one  manufactured  by  the  In- 
dians in  Canada. 


Snow-Shoes  or  Skates. 

The  Norwegian  ski  is  a  snow-shoe,  or  rather  a  snow- 
skate,  nine  feet  long,  used  by  the  Norwegians  to  glide  down 
the  mountains  or  hillsides  when  the  latter  are  covered  with 
snow. 

Great  fun  can  be  had  with  a  pair  of  snow-shoes  made  on  the 
same  principle  as  the  Norwegian  skate  shoe,  and  it  is  little 
trouble  to  man- 
ufacture a  pair 
from  two  barrel 


Fig,  184. — Top  and  Side  View  of  Barrel-stave  Skate. 


Staves. 

After  select- 
ing a  couple  of 
straight-grained 
staves,  score 
one  end  of  each  stave  with  grooves  cut  in  the  wood  either  with 
your  knife  or  a  small  gouge,  as  shown  by  the  hues  at  A,  Fig. 
184.  Smear  the  end  thickly  with  grease  and  hold  it  near  a 
hot  fire  until  you  find  that  it  can  be  bent  into  the  form  shown 
by  the  diagram  (Fig.  184);  bind  it  in  position  by  a  cord  and 
let  it  remain  so  until  the  wood  retains  the  curve  imparted. 
Make  two  blocks,  each  one  inch  broad  and  high  enough  to  fit 
under  the  heels  of  your  shoes  ;  fasten  the  blocks  on  to  the  snow- 
skates  by  screws  (C,  Fig.  184);  at  a  proper  distance  in  front 
of  the  block  fasten  two  straps  securely  (B,  Fig.  184).  By  slip- 
ping the  toes  of  your  shoes  through  the  straps  and  allowing 
the  hollow  of  the  foot  to  rest  over  the  blocks  C,  C,  so  that  the 


28o 


Winter. 


heels  of  your  shoes  bear  against  the  blocks,  you  can  keep  the 
shoes  on  your  feet,  and,  with  the  aid  of  a  stick  to  steer  by,  go 
sliding  down  the  coasting  hill  among  the  sleds  and  jumpers, 
creating  as  much  fun  for  the  others  in  your  first  attempts  as  you 
do  for  yourself ;  but  with  practice  skill  can  be  acquired  in  the 
use  of  snow-skates. 


1 


I 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

HOW   TO    MAKE   THE    TOM   THUMB  ICE-BOAT 
AND  LARGER  CRAFT. 

Although  a  full-rigged,  delicately  balanced  ice-yacht  looks 
like  a  very  complicated  piece  of  mechanism,  when  it  is  carefully 
examined  the  framework  will  be  found  to  consist  of  two  pieces 
crossing  each  other  at  right  angles.    The  top  of  the  cross  is  the 
bowsprit,  the  bottom  of  the  cross  the  stern,  and  the  sides  the 
runners.    At  the  intersection  of  the  cross  pieces  the  mast  is 
stepped.    The  principle  is  simple  enough, 
and  with  some  sticks,  two  small  pieces  of  inch 
lumber,  three  old  skates,  and  two  boards,  a 
real  little  '^Tom  Thumb  ice-yacht"  can  be 
built  to  hold  a  crew  of  one,  and  to  be  rigged 
like  a  catboat  or  with  a  jib  and  mainsail.  The 
cross  board  may  be  made  about  3  feet  long  Cross-board, 
and  6  inches  wide.     Make  two  runner  blocks  SkSr'' " ^^''''^ 
of  inch  lumber,  and  let  them  be  each  6  inches  long  and  3  inches 
wide.    With  a  bit  and  brace  or  a  red-hot  poker  bore  holes  at 
proper  distances  apart  for  the  straps  of  old-fashioned  skates 
to  pass  through.    One  inch  from  each  end  of  the  cross  board, 
fasten  on  the  runner  blocks  securely  with  nails  or  screws  (Fig! 
185).   For  the  centre  plank  use  a  board  about  6  inches  wide  and 
5  feet  long.    Nail  the  cross  plank  on  to  the  centre  plank  in  such 
a  manner  that  a  line  drawn  through  the  centre  of  the  latter  will 
mtersect  the  cross  board  exactly  at  its  middle.    The  planks 
must  be  at  right  angles  to  each  other,  forming  a  cross,  the  cen- 


282 


Winter, 


Fig.  i86.— Rudder  with 
Tiller-ropes. 


tre  piece  extending  about  one  foot  beyond  the  cross  piece  ;  this 
end  will  be  the  bow  of  the  ice-boat  and  the  opposite  end  the 
stern.    Bore  a  large  hole  in  the  stern  for 
the  rudder-post  to  pass  through.  The 
rudder-post  may  be  made  in  a  variety  of 
forms  ;  a  simple  and  convenient  one  is 
shown  by  Fig.  i86.    Another  hole  must 
be  made  through  the  point  where  the  cen- 
tres of  the  cross  and  centre  planks  inter- 
sect for  the  mast.    Fig.  187  shows  a  leg- 
of-mutton  sail,  but  the  young  yachtsman 
may  make  a  sail  of  any  description  that  may  suit  his  taste.  By 
referring  back  to  the  chapter  on     How  to  Rig  and  Sail  Small 
Boats,"  he  can  find  sev- 
eral simple  kinds  of  sails 
illustrated.  Fig.  188 
shows  the  top  view  of 
an  ice-boat  a  trifle  larger 
than  the  one  just  describ- 
ed ;  the  braces  shown  in 
the  diagram  are  unneces- 
sary on  very  small  craft. 
To  hold  the  mast  more 
securely  in  larger  yachts, 
a  bench  is  made  after  the 
plan  of  Fig.  189  ;  this  will 
prevent  the   mast  from 
being  carried  away  under 
any  ordinary  circumstan- 
ces, and  also  prevent  it 
from  swaying  with  every 
puff  of  wind.    Where  a 
seat  is  made  as  in  Fig. 


Fig.  187. — Leg-of-mutton  Sail. 


How  to  Make  the  Tom  Thumb  Ice-Boat  283 


188,  a  wooden  handle  can  be  substituted  for  the  tiller-ropes 
(Fig.  190). 

The  rudder  is  made  of  a  skate ;  the  latter  is  fastened  by  the 
screw  at  the  heel  and  then  strapped  on  a  board  nailed  on  to  a 


:  : :  I-  SKATE 


Fig.  188.— Top  View  of  Ice-Boat. 

club,  shaped  Hke  a  potato-masher  ;  the  small  part  of  the  club 
runs  through' a  hole  in  the  stern  of  the  centre-board.  A  forked 
stick  can  be  used  for  a  tiller  and  must  be  fastened  on  to  the 
rudder-post  by  running  a  pin  or  large  wire 
through  holes  bored  for  the  purpose  in  the 
rudder-post  and  the  prongs  of  the  forked 
stick.    If  the  top  of  the  rudder-post  be 
squared,  a  tiller  may  be  made  of  a  stick 
with  a  square  hole  to  fit  over  the  end  of 
the  rudder-post,  as  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration at  the  end  of  this  chapter. 

Perhaps  some  of  my  readers  will  invent  more  ingenious 
and  simple  steering  apparatus  than  the  ones  given  here  ;  if 


Fig.  189.— Mast  Bench. 


284 


Winter. 


not,  and  the  rudder-post  and  tiller  seem  to  be  a  little  too  diffi- 
cult, they  may  be  omitted,  and  a  stationary  runner  block  substi- 
tuted in  their  place.  The  boat  must  then  be  steered  by  the 
feet  of  the  crew.    To  do  this  he  should  have  on  skates.    If  a 


Fig.  190. — Steering  Apparatus. 


long  handle  be  attached  to  the  stern  like  the  back  to  a  sleigh- 
chair,  the  steersman  with  skates  on  can  guide  the  boat  with 
his  feet  by  standing  behind  and  holding  on  to  the  handle  at 
the  stern.  With  this  rig,  the  boat  can  accommodate  a  passen- 
ger aboard,  as  the  steersman  does  not  occupy  the  boat  itself  but 
tends  the  sheets  and  steers  while  being  towed  behind.  A 


I 


How  to  Make  the  Tom  Thumb  Ice-Boat.  285 


common  sled  may  be  fixed  with  holes  in  it  so  that  a  cross  board 
can  be  attached  by  movable  pegs,  and  with  a  mast  stepped  in 

^  the  bow  it  will  make  tolerable  speed  and  may  be  steered  by  a 

*  boy  on  skates. 


A  Tom  Thumb  and  Crew. 


\ 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


THE  WINGED  SKATERS,  AND   HOW  TO  MAKE 
THE  WINGS. 

Skimming  over  the  glassy  surface  of  an  ice-bound  river  or 
pond,  propelled  by  the  wintry  blast  blowing  against  artificial 
wings  of  cloth,  is  but  a  degree  removed  from  flying.  The  fric- 
tion of  your  skate  runners  upon  the  ice  is  so  sHght  that  it  is  not 
difficult  to  imagine  that  you  have  left  the  earth  and  are  soaring 
in  mid-air. 

Every  boy  who  has  had  any  skating  experience  knows  what 
hard  work  it  is  to  skate  against  a  stiff  wind,  and  almost  all  who 
ever  fastened  skates  to  their  feet  must  have  enjoyed  the  luxury 
of  sailing  over  the  ice  before  the  wind  with  a  spread  coat  or 
open  umbrella  doing  duty  as  a  sail. 

For  some  time  back  people  in  widely  separated  parts  of  the 
world  have  made  more  or  less  successful  attempts  at  transform- 
ing themselves  into  animated  ice-yachts,  and  in  Canada,  Nor- 
way, and  other  cold  countries,  men  with  sails  rigged  on  their 
backs  or  shoulders  have  ''tacked,"  ''come  about,"  and  luffed  " 
themselves  in  a  novel  and  highly  entertaining  style,  but  lately, 
for  some  reason  or  other,  this  sport  has  been  allowed  to  almost 
die  out,  and  we  are  now  indebted  to  two  or  three  writers  for 
reintroducing  skate-sailing  to  the  public  with  original  sugges- 
tions and  improvements.  Mr.  Charles  L.  Norton,  editor  of 
The  American  Canoeist^  was,  I  believe,  the  first  to  call  the 


The  JVinged  Skaters.  287 


attention  of  the  public  in  general,  and  the  boys  particularly,  to 
this  delightful  sport.  In  an  article  published  in  the  St.  Nicho- 
las Magazine,  entitled  Every  Boy  his  Own  Ice-Boat, "  Mr. 
Norton  describes  a  new  and  original  device,  consisting  of  a 
double  sail,  which  is  so  simple  in  construction,  and  yet  so 
strong,  light,  and  easy  to  manage,  that  it  is  sure  to  become  a 
favorite  rig  with  the  boys,  both  large  and  small. 

In  another  article  entitled  White  Wings,"  which  appeared 
in  Harper  s  Weekly,  the  same  author  describes  a  number  of 
queer  sails  used  by  different  people.  Following  in  the  foot- 
steps of  Mr.  Norton,  and  adding  to  our  information  on  this 
subject,  comes  T.  F.  Hammer  with  an  interesting  article  pub- 
lished in  the  Century  Magazine,  in  which  this  gentleman  gives 
some  personal  experience  as  a  winged  skater  and  a  detailed 
description  of  the  Danish  skate-sail. 

Among  the  many  reasons  given  by  skate-sailors  why  this 
new  and  highly  exhilarating  pastime  should  come  into  general 
favor  are  these  :  skate-sailing  can  be  practised  and  enjoyed  on 
ice  too  rough  for  ordinary  skating,  and  a  light  fall  of  snow  that 
ruins  the  ice  for  the  common  skater  improves  it  for  the  winged 
yachtsman. 

Salt-water  ice  that  is  too  soft  for  one  to  enjoy  a  skate  upon 
affords  a  better  foothold  than  smooth,  hard,  fresh-water  ice,  and 
is  preferable  on  that  account.  Wherever  you  can  skate  there 
you  may  sail,  and  when  the  skating  proper  is  ruined,  it  often 
happens  that  the  qualities  of  the  ice  are  improved  for  sailing. 
There  is  no  record  of  a  serious  accident  happening  to  any  skate- 
sailor,  although  one  may  attain,  literally,  the  speed  of  the 
wind,  the  higher  the  rate  of  speed  the  less  danger  there  ap- 
pears to  be,  for  in  falling  a  person  will  strike  the  ice  at  such  an 
angle  that  he  is  merely  sent  sliding  over  the  surface,  and  little 
or  no  damage  is  done. 


288 


Winter. 


Bat  Wings. 

After  procuring  a  suitable  piece  of  cloth,  spread  it  out  upon 
the  floor  and  tack  it  there,  then  spread  yourself  out  on  the 
cloth  with  your  arms  extended  at  right  angles  to  your  body, 
and  your  feet  spread  apart.  While  in  that  position,  have  some 
one  mark  on  the  cloth  the  points  where  the  crown  of  your 
head,  your  wrists,  and  ankles  come.  With  a  chalk  or  pencil 
connect  these  points  by  lines,  and,  allowing  for  the  hem,  cut  the 
sail  out  according  to  the  pattern  made. 

Turn  the  edges  over  and  make  a  strong  broad  hem  all 
around  the  sail,  sew  in  straps  or  bands  at  the  ankle,  waist,  wrists, 
and  head.  When  the  sail  is  to  be  used,  adjust  the  head-band 
around  the  forehead,  fasten  the  waist,  wrist,  and  ankle  straps, 
and  the  ship  is  rigged.  By  spreading  the  arms,  the  sail  is 
set ;  when  the  arms  are  folded  the  sail  is  furled.  It  would  be- 
come exceedingly  tiresome  to  hold  the  arms  outstretched  from 
the  sides  for  any  length  of  time  without  support ;  to  obviate 
this,  a  stick  may  be  carried,  which,  when  thrust  behind  the 
back,  will  make  a  support  for  the  hands  as  they  grasp  it  near 
the  ends.  The  man-bat  steers  with  his  feet,  using  his  legs  and 
arms  for  sheet-lines.  Skaters  rigged  up  in  this  novel  style  pre- 
sent a  most  grotesque  appearance  as  they  flap  their  wings 
about  in  going  through  various  evolutions. 

The  Norton  Rig 

is  a  double  sail,  and  might  be  called  a  schooner  rig.  It  is  in 
many  respects  superior  to  the  somewhat  cumbersome  single 
sails,  the  chief  advantage  being  the  fact  that  the  crew  can  see  in 
every  direction,  and  thus  avoid  running  foul  of  any  other  craft 
or  skater.  Another  improvement  is  the  double  main  spar 
which,  without  increasing  the  weight,  affords  a  stronger  sup- 
port for  the  cross  pieces,  or  fore  and  main  masts.    The  main 


I 


The  Winged  Skaters. 


289 


spar  may  be  made  of  spruce  pine  or  bamboo.  Cane  fishing 
poles  are  mexpensive,  and  can  probably  be  readily  obtained  by 
most  boys.  Select  two  pieces,  each  about  ten  feet  long  and 
bmd  the  butt  or  large  end  of  one  to  the  small  end  of  the  other  • 
lash  the  other  ends  firmly  together  in  like  manner,  so  that  the 
two  poles  will  lay  side  by  side  firmly  bound  at  each  end. 

For  the  fore  and  main  masts  or  cross  yards,  Mr.  Norton 
recommends  bamboo,  five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  but 
American  cane  will  also  answer  for  that  purpose.  Pick  out  two 
pieces  five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter  at  the  smallest  ends 


Fig.  191.— The  Norton  Rig. 

and  let  each  be  four  feet  six  inches  long.  Near  the  ends  of  the 
cross  yards  fasten  metal  buttons  or  knobs,  and  fasten  similar 
knobs  near  the  ends  of  the  main  spar.  Make  a  small  cleat  for 
the  mjddle  of  each  cross  spar  (A,  A,  A,  Fig.  191)  and  lash 
It  iirmly  on. 

Make  the  sails  of  the  heaviest  cotton  sheeting,  if  it  can  be 
procured  ;  if  not,  take  ordinary  sheeting  and  double  it,  or  what 
cloth  you  can  procure.  Mark  out  the  sails,  making  allowance 
for  the  hein,  a„d  let  them  measure  four  feet  across  the  diagonal 
after  the  hem  has  been  turned  down  ;  bind  the  sails  with  strong 
tape,  and  see  that  the  corners  particularly  are  made  very  strong 


2go  Winter. 


Sew  to  the  "  clews"  or  corners  small  metal  rings,  or  loops  of 
strong  cord,  to  fasten  on  the  buttons  at  the  ends  of  the  spars. 

Attach  the  sails  to  the  cross  spars  by  slipping  the  rings 
at  the  clews  over  the  buttons  at  each  end  of  the  spars. 
Sprincv  the  main  spar  apart  and  slip  the  cleats  of  the  cross 
spar  between  the  two  pieces,  so  that  they  fit  as  shown  by 
Fio-  191.  Fasten  the  outside  clews  to  the  buttons  on  the  ends 
ofUie  main  spar  and  bind  the  two  inside  clews  tightly  together 
with  a  cord  as  shown  in  the  diagram,  and  you  are  all  ready  to 
give  the  novel  device  a  trial.  Go  to  the  nearest  sheet  of  ice, 
put  on  your  skates,  and  after  seeing  that  they  are  securely  fas- 
tened, take  up  the  sails  and  let  yourself  go  before  the  wmd, 
steering  with  your  feet.  After  practising  awhile  you  can  learn  to 
tack,  and  go  through  all  the  manoeuvres  of  a  regular  sail-boat. 

A  most  beautiful  "rig"  is  described  by  Mr.  Norton,  m 
which  the  main  spar  consists  of  four  pieces  of  bamboo  jomed 
at  the  middle  by  brass  fishing-rod  ferrules.  Brass  tips  are  used 
for  holding  the  small  ends  of  the  bamboo  together  at  the  ends 
of  the  main  spar.  This  rig  can  be  taken  apart  like  a  jointed 
fishing-rod.  and,  like  it,  put  in  a  comparatively  small  case,  occu- 
pying not  much  more  space  when  the  sails  are  rolled  up  than 
an  old-fashioned  cotton  umbrella.  Sails  may  be  made  of  fancy 
striped  cloth  and  brilliantly  colored  penants  rigged  to  their 
corners  ;  combine  this  with  a  suitable  uniform,  and  the  winged 
skater  will  present  a  most  striking  and  dashing  appearance  as 
he  goes  flying  over  the  ice. 

The  Norwegian  Rig. 

This  is  a  very  simple  sail  to  make,  as  may  be  seen  by  referring 
to  Fi^  192.  The  spars  can  be  made  of  the  same  material 
as  the  ones  described  for  the  Norton  rig.  The  Norwegian  rig 
requires  a  crew  of  two,  and  in  this  particular  differs  from  all  the 
rest     The  man  at  the  bow  grasps  the  main  spar  with  one  hand 


The  IVinged  Skaters. 


291 


tlH^fi"''  ^""''""^  °'her  hand  takes 

hold  of  the  mam  spar  behind  him  ;  the  helmsman  must  stand  at 


Fig.  192,— Norwegian  Rig. 

the  stern  or  <'aft"  end  Of  the  sail,  so  that  he  can  see  to  steer 

s^SrsTrn"  tT-  T  ^^"^^  ^^^e 

v.ntZ    f         .  "^'^^"^^  it  has  the  ad- 

vantage of  carrying  two  instead  of  one,  and  is  consequently  in 
favor  with  people  who  like  ^ 
sociability. 

The  Danish  Rig 

consists  of  a  mainmast  and 
topmast.  The  latter  can  be 
let  down  when  required.  The 
diagram  (Fig.  193)  is  made  of 
dimensions  suitable  for  agood- 
sized  boy.  The  straps  near 
the  bottom  of  the  topmast  are 
for  the  purpose  of  binding  the 

sail  to  the  back  of  the  crew,  Fia.  X93.-Da1.;sh  Rig. 

tL^fo?;if  •  -1  ""'r  ''l'"'^^'^  ^^^-^^^  t-  the  lower 

corners  of  the  sails,  the  other  ends  are  held  by  the  crew,  crossed 


292 


Winter, 


and  used  as  sheet-lines  are  in  an  ordinary  sail-boat.  The  spars 
may  all  be  made  of  spruce,  pine,  cedar,  bamboo,  or  Southern 
cane,  and  the  sail  of  heavy  cotton  sheeting  or  strong  cotton 
duck,  of  double  thickness  at  the  clews.  In  experimenting  with 
this  rig,  it  is  best  to  choose  a  day  when  there  is  only  a  moderate 
wind,  for  the  sail  being  bound  to  your  body  cannot  be  cast  aside 
by  simply  letting  go.  ^  i 

The  mainsail  and  topsail  are  ail  of  one  piece  of  cloth,  ihe 
topmast  is  fastened  to  the  middle  of  the  shoulder  yard  by  a 
leather  strap  passing  around  the  yard.  The  topmast  is  held  in 
place  by  the  wind  blowing  it  against  the  head  of  the  crew.  By 
running  a  little  into  the  wind  the  topsail  will  fall  back  and  leave 
only  the  mainsail  up,  or  if  you  loosen  the  cross  knot  at  the 
upper  part  of  the  topmast  you  can  roll  the  topsail  down  to  the 

reefing  points  and  lash  it 
there.  The  steering  is  done 
with  the  feet  of  the  crew.  To 
learn  to  sail  this  or  any  other 
craft  practice  is  needed. 
You  might  as  well  try  to  learn 
to  swim  from  reading  a  book 
as  to  expect  to  become  an  ex- 
pert sailor  without  going  to 
sea. 

The  English  Rig 

consists  of  a  mast  and  two 
spars  (Fig.  I94)  ;  the  bottom 
of  the  mast  rests  in  straps 
fastened  to  one  leg  of  the 
Fig.  194.— English  Rig.  crew,  who  supports  the  sail 

by  placing  one  arm  around  the  mast,  holding  on  to  the  top  spar 
with  the  other  hand.    This  makes  quite  a  pretty  craft,  though, 


The  Winged  Skaters, 


293 


like  the  Danish  rig,  the  sail  must  be  bound  to  the  crew,  which 
always  appears  objectionable  from  the  fact  that  in  case  of  acci- 
dent there  must  be  more  danger  of  breaking  the  spars  or  tear- 
ing the  sail  than  there  is  where  the  whole  thing  can  be  dropped 
in  an  instant.  The  EngHsh  rig  is  on  something  of  the  same 
principle  as  / 

The  Cape  Vincent  Rig, 

which  consists  of  a  long  spar  and  a  sprit,  the  spar  being  in  some 
cases  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  in  length  ;  one  seven  feet  long  will 
make  a  sail  large  enough  for  a  boy.  The  sprit  is  fastened  at 
the  bottom  securely  to  the  sail,  and  fits  on  to  the  main  spar 
with  a  crotch,  fork,  or  jaw.  The  sail  being  cut  in  the  right  shape 


Fig.  195.  —Cape  Vincent  Rig. 


and  proper  proportions,  and  made  fast  to  the  long  spar  and  to 
the  end  of  the  sprit,  as  soon  as  the  latter  is  forced  into  place  it 
will  stretch  the  sail  out  flat,  as  in  Fig.  195.  A  boy  with  one  of 
these  rigs  on  his  shoulder  makes  a  very  rakish-looking  craft. 
The  spar  is  carried  "as  a  soldier  carries  his  rifle  "—on  the 
shoulder  ;  the  sprit,  or  small  cross  spar,  is  allowed  to  rest 
against  the  crew's  back.  According  to  one  writer,  who  is  sup- 
posed to  have  had  experience,  this  rakish  craft  will  not  in  the 
least  belie  its  looks.  In  speaking  of  it  he  says  :  '*  I  should 
say  that  on  good,  smooth  ice,  with  a  twenty-five  or  thirty- 


294 


Winter, 


inile  wind,  they  went  at  the  rate  of  eighty  or  one  hundred  miles 
an  hour:'  This  sounds  hke  an  exaggeration,  but  when  we  re- 
member that  a  good  ice-yacht,  well  handled,  can  make  a  mile 
a  minute  or  more,  travelling  much  faster  than  the  wind  itself, 
the  statement  of  the  enthusiastic  advocate  of  the  Cape  Vincent 
rig  does  not,  appear  so  improbable.  In  speaking  of  the  speed 
attained  by  regular  ice-yachts,  Mr.  Norton  says  : 

"  There  is  no  apparent  reason  why  a  skate-sailor  should  not 
attain  a  like  speed.  Other  things  being  equal,  he  has  certain 
advantages  over  the  ice-yacht.  His  steering  gear  is  absolutely 
perfect,  assuming,  of  course,  that  he  is  a  thoroughly  confident 
skater,  and  it  is  in  intimate  sympathy  with  the  trim  of  his  sail. 
This  nice  adjustment  between  rudder  and  sails  is  an  important 
point.  Again,  there  is  no  rigidity  about  the  rig.  Everything 
sways  and  gives  under  changing  conditions  of  wind,  and  ex- 
perience soon  endows  the  skater  with  an  instinct  which  teaches 
him  to  trim  his  sail  so  as  to  make  every  ounce  of  air-pressure 
tell  to  the  best  advantage." 

A  Country  Rig. 

The  two  forked  sticks  from  which  the  framework  of  this 
sail  is  made  must  necessarily  be  nearly  of  the  same  dimensions. 
After  their  ends 
have  been  firmly 
lashed  together,  as 
shown  by  Fig.  196, 
a  sail  made  of  an  old 
piece  of  carpet,  awn- 
ing, hay -cover,  or 
any  cloth  that  is 

1  Fig.  196.— Country  Rig. 

strong    enough  or 

can  be  made  strong  enough  by  doubling,  may  be  lashed  on  at 
the  four  prongs  of  the  forks.    This  rig  will  convey  a  crew  of 


The  tVinged  Skaters. 


295 


two  over  the  ice  with  as  much  speed  as  the  more  elaborate 
Norwegian  sail  (Fig.  192).  The  country  sail  may  not  be  hand- 
some, but  it  possesses  the  advantage  of  being  easily  constructed 
and  costing  little  or  nothing,  except  the  work  of  cutting  and 
trimming  the  spars  and  sail. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


WINTER   FISHING— SPEARING  AND  SNARING— 
FISHERMEN'S  MOVABLE  SHANTIES,  ETC. 

The  pleasures  of  fishing  are  naturally  and  almost  invariably 
connected  in  our  minds  with  warm  weather,  particularly  with 
Spring  or  the  first  coming  of  Summer,  the  bright  freshness  of 

bursting  bud  and 
"I  '''    \\'^if^^^^!k^^    new-opening  wild 

blossom,    and  with 
those  latter  days  in 
the   Autumn  over 
which  the  Summer 
King  sheds  his 
brightest  glories. 
But  in  our  northern 
and  easterly  States, 
when  old  Winter  has  spread  his  mantle  of 
frost  and  snow  over  the  face  of  Nature,  and 
hermetically  sealed  all  the  lakes  and  ponds 
under  covers  of  ice,  as  an  agreeable  addition 
to  the  fun  of  skating,  hardy,  red-cheeked 
boys  cut  round  holes  in  the  thick  ice,  and 
^  through  them  rig  their  lines  for  pickerel- 

FiG.  197.— Flip-Up  Set.  fishing.  A  very  simple  but  ingenious  con- 
trivance enables  a  single  fisherman  to  attend  to  quite  a  number 
of  lines  if  the  holes  be  all  made  within  sight  of  the  fisherman, 


Winter  Fishing,  Etc. 


297 


the  fish  itself  will  give  the  signal  for  the  particular  h^iT^ 
requires  attention. 

that'^k  fishing-tackle  is  so  simple 

that  ,t  may  be  made  m  a  few  moments  by  any  one.  The 
precedmg  illustration  shows  how 
it  is  arranged  (Fig.  197).  At 
the  end  of  a  light  rod  a  foot 
or  two  in  length  is  fastened  a 
small  signal  flag  ;  a  piece  of  any 
bright- colored  cloth  answers  the 
purpose.    This  rod  is  bound  with 
strong  string  at  right  angles  to  a 
second   stick,    which   is  placed 
across  the  hole,  lying  some  inches 
upon  the  ice  at  either  side  ;  the 
flag  also  rests  on  the  ice,  leaving 

a  short  piece  of  the  flag-rod  pro-       f,o.  .,8.-The  Sig„a,^ 

ire  ZteTd     TlT  T  'k '"^^  '^"^       ''^  l^ook 

suLh  I  k  ;    ?  '  ^"^''^^         ^  or  other 

suitable  bait  and  lowered  through  the  hole.  The  tackle  is  then 
m  readiness  for  the  capture  of  a  pickerel.  Wh  n  the  fish  is 
hooked  his  struggles  keep  the  flag  flying  (Fig.  198) 

Smelt  Fishing  and  the  Smelt  Fisher's  House 

From  about  December  20th  until  the  middle  or  latter  part 

coast  of  Mame.  The  fish  are  caught  through  holes  in  the  ice 
In  the  vicinity  of  Belfast  clam  worms  are  used  for  bait  the 
worms  are  found  in  the  clam  flats  ' 

sessS tv 'tf  ''''  pos- 

sessed by   he  inhabitants  of  the  Eastern  States,  the  '<  Down 

East    smelt  fishermen  of  Maine  have  for  years,  while  fishil" 

through  the  ice,  exposed  themselves  to  the  piercing  winter  winds'" 


298 


Winter. 


apparently  without  once  thinking  of  providing  any  other  shelter 
than  their  heavy  overcoats  and  perhaps  a  rude  barricade  of 
ice  blocks  and  evergreen  boughs.    There  is  no  telling  how  long 
this  state  of  things  might  have  continued,  but  during  the  winter 
of  1877-78*  a  single  fisherman,  more  enterprising  than  his  com- 
rades, appeared  upon  the  fishing  grounds  with  a  sniall  canvas 
tent  inside  of  which  he  at  once  proceeded  to  make  himself 
comfortable,  and  at  the  same  time  excite  the  envy  of  Ae  un- 
protected, shivering  fishermen  scattered  over  the  ice.    The  lat- 
ter were  not  long  in  taking  the  hint,  and  the  next  season  found 
the  ice  dotted  all  over  with  the  little  canvas  houses  of  the  fish- 
ermen.  During  the  best  of  the  season  the  smelt  fishing  grounds 
now  have  the  appearance  of  Indian  villages;  the  blue  smoke 
curls  up  from  the  peaked  roofed  lodges  and  floats  away  on  the 
frosty  air,  while  the  figures  of  men  and  boys  passing  to  and  fro 
on  different  errands  might  at  a  distance  be  easily  mistaken  for 
the  aboriginal  red  Americans  at  their  winter  camp. 

The  framework  of  a  smelt  fisher's  house  consists  of  a  light 
wooden  frame  about  six  feet  square,  with  a  sharp  roof.  After 
the  frame  is  firmly  fastened  together  it  is  put  upon  runners, 
furnished  with  a  bench  for  the  fisherman  to  sit  upon,  a  stove  to 
keep  him  warm,  and  a  covering  of  light  canvas  to  keep  out  the 
cold     The  canvas  is  a  better  protection  against  sleet  and  frost 
if  it  has  been  covered  with  a  coat  of  paint.   Sometimes  the  houses 
are  made  large  enough  to  accommodate  more  than  one  fisher- 
man    Snugly  ensconced  beside  a  warm  stove,  with  pipe  m 
mouth,  the  old  veterans  spin  their  yarns,        f^"'^"^^ '^J^^^ 
raging  northwest  winds,  watch  their  lines,  which  are  at  ached  o 
a  rack  overhead  and  hang  down,  passing  through  a  ho  e  in  the 
ice    The  bait  dangles  about  eight  or  ten  feet  under  the  water. 
When  a  fish  bites,  the  motion  of  the  line  apprizes  Ae  fishernian 
of  the  fact,  and  he  pulls  it  out^mihooksUiefi^^ 
-  .  According 7o  the  Belfast  (Me.)  Journal. 


Winter  Fishing,  Etc. 


299 


his  line.   In  this  manner  one  man  will  succeed  in  catching  from 

ten  to  fifteen  pounds  in  a  day. 

A  gentleman  who  seems  to  be  posted  upon  the  subject  of 

smelt  fishing  sends  me  the  following  device,  which  ought  to 

have  been  included  in  the  chapter  on  odd  modes  of  fishing 

My  correspondent 

says:  "  During  the  fall 
months  the  smelt  run 
in  large  schools  up  the 
creeks  and  streams 
emptying  into  the 
ocean,  and  are  caught 
with  seines  or  nets  by 
professional  fishermen 

for    market.      To    be  '99— The  Umbrella  Smelt  Tackle. 

sure,  no  true  sportsman  could  make  use  of  such  means  for  cap- 
tunng  game  ;  still,  as  it  is  necessary  to  take  these  small  fish  in 
large  numbers  to  make  a  respectable  mess,  some  ingenious 
sportsman  has  evolved  a  fishing-tackle  with  which  one  can 
legifmately  do  wholesale  fishing.  To  a  line  on  an  ordinary 
pole  IS  attached  an  apparatus  resembling  an  umbrella-frame 
without  the  handle;  from  the  point  of  each  bow  hangs  a  line 
and  hook  (Fig.  199) ;  in  this  way  six  or  eight  smelt  may  be  taken 
in  the  time  it  would  require  to  catch  one  with  a  single  line  " 

For  boys  who  live  inland  where  smelt  fishing  is  out  of 
the  question,  there  are  other  fish  whose  gamy  nature  will  im- 
part more  fun  and  excitement  to  their  capture.  Long  rods 
would  be  out  of  place  within  the  narrow  limits  of  a  little  cloth- 
covered  fishing  box ;  but  hand  lines  or  short  rod  and  reel  may 
be  used  When  a  short  rod  is  used  it  is  only  for  the  pui- 
pose  of  facilitating  the  use  of  the  reel,  and  the  rod  should  not 
be  over  two  and  one-half  feet  long.  Fish  may  also  be  snared 
or  speared  through  holes  in  the  ice  by  boys  concealed  in  little 


300 


Winter. 


wooden  shanties  built  for  the  purpose.  This  sport  is  much  in 
vogue  on  some  of  the  small  lakes  in  the  Northwest. 

The  Spearsman's  Shanty. 

The  great  drawback  to  spearing  fish  through  holes  in  the 
ice,  is  the  inability  of  the  spearsman  to  see  objects  under  water, 
and  to  keep  the  cold  winds  from  chilling  him  through  and, 
through  as  he  stands  almost  motionless  watching  for  his  game  ; 


Fig.  200.— Framework  for  Spearman's  Shanty. 

but  if  the  sportsman  will  supply  himself  with  one  of  the  little 
wooden  shanties  used  by  the  fish  spearers  in  the  Northwest,  he 
will  overcome  both  these  difficulties.  The  shanty,  when  the 
door  is  closed,  is  perfectly  dark  inside,  having  no  other  open- 
ing except  a  round  hole,  about  a  foot  and  a  half  in  diameter,  m 
the  floor  just  over  the  hole  in  the  ice.  The  only  light  seen  by 
the  fisherman  is  the  bright,  shining  water,  which  glows  like  a 
fuU  moon  underneath  him.  As  his  eyes  become  accustomed  to 
the  peculiar  condition  of  things,  the  nebulous  objects  first  dis- 


Winter  Fishings  Etc. 


301 


cernible  in  the  luminous  water  resolve  themselves  into  floating 
grasses  and  reeds  ;  the  bottom,  even  where  the  water  is  quite 
deep,  becomes  plainly  visible,  and  every  passing  fish  is  distinct- 
ly seen  by  the  spearsman,  while  he,  being  in  total  darkness, 
is  invisible  to  the  creatures  below.  This  effect  can  be  readily 
understood  when  one  remembers  that  the  ice,  unless  it  be  cov- 
ered with  snow,  is  transparent,  and  that  the  light  shining  through 
illuminates  the  water.  It  is  as  if  you  were  standing  outside  of 
a  house  on  a  very  dark  night  looking  through  a  window  into  a 
brilliantly  lighted  room. 

The  fishermen's  shanties  are  provided  with  small  sheet-iron 
stoves,  which  require  but  very  little  fire  to  make  the  house  warm 
enough  for  one  to  sit  with  his  coat  off.  The  stoves  are  provided 
with  small  pipes,  which  issue  through  the  roof  or  side  of  the 
house.    A  bench,  camp-stool,  or  chair  complete  the  furniture. 

Snaring  Fish. 

Catfish  may  be  chummed  for ;  that  is,  attracted  by  bait  cut 
up  and  dropped  through  the  hole  in  the  ice.  The  bait  will  at- 
tract many  other  fish,  which  can  be  snared  with  a  slip-noose 
made  of  fine  copper  or  brass  wire  and  attached  to  the  end  of  a 
line.  There  is  nothing  alarming  in  the  looks  of  this  instrument, 
and  a  fish  will  not  notice  the  snare  until  it  finds  the  fatal  noose 
tightly  drawn  about  its  body.  It  requires  a  little  practice  to 
snare  fish  successfully.  I  well  remember  my  first  attempt.  A 
large  mud  sucker  "  was  discovered  under  an  overhanging 
bank.  Cautiously  I  crept  to  the  edge  of  the  stream,  and  with 
trembhng,  yet  careful  hand,  I  let  the  snare  glide  gently  into 
the  water.  The  fish  did  not  move  ;  by  degrees  I  slipped 
the  noose  over  the  comical  slippery  head  of  the  creature,  and 
with  a  mighty  jerk  landed— not  the  fish,  but  my  snare  in  the 
boughs  of  a  tree  that  overhung  the  water.  I  was  thunder- 
struck when  I  discovered  that  the  fine  wire  of  the  snare  had 


302 


Winter, 


cut  the  fish  completely  in  halves,  and  as  the  muddy  water, 
stirred  up  by  the  commotion  beneath,  rolled  away  down  stream, 
I  beheld  one-half  of  the  "mud  sucker"  with  the  puckering 
mouth  still  moving,  and  .the  other  half  with  its  tail  flapping  in 
the  water  beneath. 

It  requires  experience  to  learn  just  how  hard  to  pull  on  a 
snare  to  catch  a  fish  and  hold  it  without  breaking  the  line  or 
cutting  the  game. 

Spearing  Fish 

is  far  more  exciting  and  sportsmanlike  than  snaring  them. 
The  fish  may  be  attracted  by  dead  bait  dropped  through  the 
hole  in  the  ice,  after  the  manner  before  described,  or  if  it  be 
pickerel  you  are  after,  a  trolling  spoon  can  be  danced  up 
and  down,  and  round  and  round,  until  it  attracts  the  attention 
of  the  fish.  Some  fishermen  use  a  wooden  minnow  weighted 
at  the  bottom  with  lead  and  provided  with  fins  and  tail  made 
of  tin.  Such  a  decoy,  to  be  effective,  should  be  decorated  with 
a  brilliant  red  stripe  on  each  side,  a  white  belly,  and  a  bright 
green  back.  By  means  of  a  line  fastened  to  the  wooden  fish 
it  can  be  made  to  swim  around  under  water  in  a  most  frisky 
and  life-like  manner,  completely  deceiving  the  unwary  pick- 
erel. The  decoy  must  be  kept  out  of  reach  when  the  fish  dart 
at  it,  and  at  the  same  time  the  spear  must  be  poised,  ready 
to  cast  at  the  first  opportunity.  Often  the  unsuspicious  pick- 
erel will  stop  and  remain  for  some  moments  motionless  directly 
under  the  hole  in  the  ice,  apparently  considering  the  best 
mode  of  capturing  the  lively  and  gaudy  minnow  that  dances 
so  temptingly  near  his  hungry  jaws.  This  is  a  golden  oppor- 
tunity for  the  young  fisherman,  and  waiting  only  such  time  as 
it  may  require  to  take  aim,  the  lance  should  be  launched.  A 
good  fish  spear  is  described  on  page  i88  and  illustrated  by 
Fig.  121.    As  soon  as  a  fish  is  speared  it  should  be  thrown  upon 


IVinter  Fishings  Etc. 


303 


the  ice  outside  the  shanty  and  allowed  to  freeze.  In  this  man- 
ner the  meat  is  kept  much  sweeter  and  fresher  than  it  is  possible 
to  preserve  fish  in  warm  weather,  even  for  so  short  a  time  as  it 
requires  to  carry  the  game  home  from  the  fishing  grounds. 

How  to  Build  a  Fishing  House. 

Fig.  200  shows  the  framework  for  a  small  fishing  house; 
the  posts  and  cross  pieces  are  made  of  such  sticks  as  can  be 
found  along  the  bank  of  any  stream  or  lake.    Fig.  201  shows 


Fig.  201.— Floor  and  Runners  of  Spearsman's  Shanty. 


how  the  floor  is  made  of  planks,  with  a  hole  in  the  forward  part 
to  fish  through.  The  whole  frame  may  be  covered  with  pieces 
of  an  old  hay-cover,  canvas,  or  what  is  better  still,  pieces  of  old 
oil-cloth,  such  as  is  used  for  dining-room  or  hall  floors.  If  the 
framework  be  covered  with  any  light  cloth,  the  cloth  should  be 
tacked  on  and  thickly  coated  with  paint  so  as  to  admit  no  light. 
A  frame  like  the  one  illustrated  by  Figs.  200  and  201  may  be 
made,  fitted  up,  and  kept  stored  away  until  wanted  for  use. 
After  hauling  it  out  on  the  fishing  grounds  and  cutting  a  hole 
through  the  ice,  the  frame  can  be  covered  with  thick  blankets, 
and  without  injuring  the  material  the  covering  can  be  fastened 
by  pins  and  strings  over  the  framework  and  removed  when  the 
day's  sport  is  finished.    If,  instead  of  rough  forked  sticks,  regu- 


304 


lar  square  posts  be  used,  the  whole  can  be  covered  with  quar- 
ter-inch pine  lumber,  thus  making  a  light  but  serviceable 
shanty.  If  the  light  come  in  under  the  house,  pack  snow 
around  it.  If  the  snow  cover  the  ice  to  such  a  thickness  as  to 
darken  the  water  beneath,  sweep  a  place  clean  around  your 
shanty,  and  the  light  admitted  through  the  clear  ice  will  illumi- 
nate the  water  beneath  your  hut  or  tent.  Fig.  202  shows  an- 
other form  of  fisherman's  hut,  made  upon  the  same  principle  as 
the  cabin  of  the  Crusoe  raft  (Figs.  70  and  71,  pages  99  and  100). 
Select  hickory  or  any  other  elastic  saplings,  taking  care  to  have 
them  all  about  the  same  size.  After  boring  holes  with  an 
auger  in  the  side  bars  of  the  floor  frame,  bend  saplings  over 
and  force  their  ends  into  the  holes  as  shown  in  the  diagram. 
The  floor  can  be  laid  in  the  same  manner  as  illustrated  by  Fig. 
201,  and  the  whole  frame  covered  with  some  opaque  fabric,  or 
cloth  made  opaque  by  a  coating  of  paint.  A  very  beautiful 
and  light  fishing  house  might  be  made  with  a  bamboo  frame 
that  could  be  taken  apart  and  packed  away  for  the  summer 
like  a  jointed  fishing-rod. 


b  iG.  202. — Crusoe  Cabin  Style. 


i 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

IN-DOOR  AMUSEMENTS. 

_  There  will  frequently  occur  gaps,  in  the  long  winter  even- 
mgs,  that  are  hard  to  fill  up  satisfactorily,  hours  when,  tired  of 
reading  or  study,  a  boy  does  not  know  what  to  do  Affain 
occasionally  through  the  winter  one's  companions  and  friend^ 
are  hkely  to  drop  in  and  spend  an  evening.  The  most  accom- 
phshed  host  13  at  times  at  a  loss  to  know  how  to  entertain  his 
company,  after  the  old,  worn,  threadbare  games  have  been  re- 
peated until  they  have  become  monotonous  and  tiresome 

To  the  filling  of  these  gaps,  and  for  the  relief  of  the  worried 
host,  I  propose  to  devote  a  limited  space  and  chapter  in  ex- 
plaining and  suggesting  some  novelties  in  the  way  of  in-door 
amusements. 

Bric-a-brac,  or  the  Tourist's  Curiosities, 

is  a  comparatively  new  game,  which,  in  the  hands  of  a  smart 
boy  or  a  fluent  speaker,  can  be  rendered  entertaining,  startlins 
or  boisterously  funny.  The  company,  seated  at  a  long  table  in 
a  very  dimly  lighted  room,  must  be  particularly  requested  to 
keep  their  hands  under  the  table,  pay  strict  attention  to  the 
tourist  and  maintain  a  solemn  silence.  The  tourist,  from  the 
head  of  the  table,  commences  his  narrative  something  as  fol- 
lows :  ^ 

"  In  the  year  1867  I  was  travelling  in  Egypt,  having  been 
commissioned  by  a  certain  scientific  association  to  procure  for 
them  as  perfect  a  specimen  of  a  mummy  as  I  could  find  T 

20 


3o6  Winter. 


made  it  my  particular  business  to  associate  as  much  as  possible 
with  the  native  Arabs,  whose  ostensible  business  of  guides  and 
donkey  masters  is  but  a  disguise,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  help 
to  their  real  trade  of  grave  robbers.    Through  my  interpreter,  I 
let  it  be  known  that  I  was  willing  to  pay  a  good  price  for  the 
mummy  of  some  king  or  noble  person— such  mummies,  being 
more  carefully  and  skilfully  embalmed,  are  in  a  much  more 
perfect  state  of  preservation.    For  some  months  I  was  fooled 
and  fretted  by  these  Arab  swindlers  and  cheats,  who  would 
take  me  long  distances  to  show  some  very  common  broken 
specimen.    Finally,  finding  I  would  not  be  imposed  upon,  I  re- 
ceived a  call  one  night  from  a  most  villainous-looking  native, 
who  said  for  so  much  money  he  would  introduce  me  to  a  cer- 
tain Amed  al  Hamu,  who  could  procure  me  what  I  wanted.  To 
shorten  a  long  story,  I  met  Amed  al  Hamu,  and  after  a  week's 
dickering  and  bargaining  made  an  appointment  to  meet  him 
alone  at  his  home— one  could  scarcely  say  house,  for  he  lived  in 
a  sort  of  tomb  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock  some  twenty  feet  up  a 
precipitous  rock  on  the  edge  of  the  desert.    At  the  appointed 
time  he  met  me  at  the  foot  of  the  rock,  and  after  cautiously 
looking  to  see  if  we  were  watched,  led  me  to  his  cave.  Passing 
through  this,  with  light  in  hand  we  entered  a  narrow  passage 
cut  in  the  rock  ;  through  this  we  stooped  and  crawled  for  about 
a  hundred  yards  ;  here  the  passage  ended  abruptly,  as  though 
unfinished.    On  one  side,  near  the  end,  was  a  large  crack  or 
fissure,  through  which  I  squeezed  myself  after  my  guide,  and 
stood  upon  the  brink  of  a  bottomless  pit.    From  its  hiding- 
place  Amed  al  Hamu  produced  a  rude  specimen  of  rope-ladder, 
by  the  means  of  which  we  descended  some  ten  feet  into  the 
pit ;  getting  off  on  a  ledge  of  rock  I  was  ushered  into  a  small 
cavern  and  found  a  really  valuable  mummy  in  an  unusually  fine 
mummy  case,  after  showing  which  Amed  offered  to  deliver  it 
to  me  at  some  fifty  per  cent,  above  the  price  originally  agreed 


In-door  Amusements.        *  307 


upon.    We  finally  settled  the  bargain  and  started  to  return. 
As  but  one  at  a  time  could  use  the  rope-ladder,  I  sent  the  Arab 
on  first,  thinking  while  he  was  ascending  I  might  look  around, 
for  I  felt  certain  that  all  those  excavations  were  never  made  for 
a  single  mummy.    In  the  hasty  glance  I  took  of  the  chamber 
nothmg  new  could  be  seen,  but  remembering  that  the  ladder 
was  a  very  long  one,  when  it  came  my  turn  I  went  down  in- 
stead of  up.    Passing  a  ledge  similar  to  the  one  just  left,  I  con- 
tmued  down  and  discovered  a  narrow  landing  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  pit.    By  swinging  the  rope  I  reached  it  and  got  off. 
Stepping  through  a  small  doorway  I  stood  in  a  large,  spacious 
chamber ;  pieces  of  broken  mummy  cases  and  fragments  of 
linen  bandages  strewed  the  floor;  boxes  filled  with  porcelain 
statuettes,  precious  vases  of  alabaster,  jars  of  bronze  and  terra- 
cotta were  piled  against  the  walls.    Standing  upright  and  laid 
at  length  upon  the  floor  were  huge  sarcophagi  of  painted  wood. 
Mummy  cases  fashioned  after  the  human  form  crowded  the 
room.    Evidently  I  was  amidst  the  kings  and  rulers  of  Pharao- 
nic  Egypt.    Examining  one  of  the  richest  sarcophagi  I  discov- 
ered* that  it  had  been  lately  opened,  and  upon  trial  hfted  the 
cover  off  easily;  the  mummy  case  inside  was  broken  and 
half  open.    There  was  no  doubt,  from  the  fineness  of  the  linen, 
that  the  occupant  had  been  royal.    It  would  be  hard  to  say 
what  my  emotions  were  when  I  opened  this  mummy  case; 
surprise  and  astonishment  certainly  predominated,  for  there' 
with  bandages  and  wrappings  half  torn  and  cut  off,  was  the 
most  wonderfully  preserved  specimen  ever  seen  or  heard  of. 
It  was,  or  had  been  a  thousand  years  ago,  a  princess  of  great 
beauty,  and  so  perfectly  was  the  form  preserved  that  but  for 
the  color  I  should  have  said  she  slept  ! 

"  It  was  evident  at  a  glance  that  the  grave-robbing  ghouls 
had  here  found  a  prize  which  they  meant  to  keep  a  secret  until 
they  discovered  the  most  advantageous  way  of  disposing  of  it 


IVinter. 


Upon  closer  examination  I  was  shocked  to  discover  that  one 
hand  of  the  beautiful  mummy  had  been  severed  at  the  wrist, 
probably  for  the  purpose  of  more  easily  obtaining  the  bracelet 
that  had  once  encircled  the  arm.  PuUing  aside  some  of  the  bun- 
dled bandages,  I  discovered  the  little  delicate,  shapely  hand.  A 
terrific  yell  from  the  Arab  above  startled  me  so  that  I  dropped 
the  light,  which  was  instantly  extinguished,  leaving  me  in  total 
darkness.    Thrusting  the  mummy  hand  into  an  inside  pocket  I 
groped  my  way  out  to  the  ledge,  shouting  help  !  murder  !  fire  ! 
at  the  top  of  my  voice  ;  in  fact,  so  loud  did  I  yell  that  the 
swarthy  son  of  the  desert  ceased  his  shouting,  and  as  he  reached 
the  ledge  upon  which  I  stood  held  his  light  aloft,  and  dis- 
covering me,  with  no  light,  standing  upon  the  brink  of  the 
dark  abyss,  his  villainous  features  relaxed  into  a  smile,  and, 
motioning  me  to  proceed,  he  followed  me  up  the  ladder. 
After  I  had  returned  to  my  stopping-place  and  taken  counsel 
with  some  friends,  in  spite  of  their  advice  I  dispatched  a  mes- 
senger to  Amed  al  Hamu,  proposing  to  purchase  some  of  the 
treasures  that  I  knew  were  hidden  in  the  but  half-explored 
cave.  The  only  answer  I  received  was  a  message  from  the  sheik, 
or  chief  of  the  village,  stating  that  I  had  in  some  way  '  incurred 
the  ill  will  and  animosity  of  the  populace,'  and  had  better  there- 
fore absent  myself  immediately,  as  he,  the  sheik,  '  was  powerless 
to  protect.'     It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  state  that  I  acted 
upon  this  hint  and  left  ;  I  am  free  to  acknowledge  that  I  think 
more  of  my  own  body  than  any  mummy  that  was  ever  embalmed. 
The  beautifully  shaped  hand  I  still  have  as  evidence  of  my  ad- 
venture, and  if  you  will  kindly  pass  it  to  one  another  under  the 
table  each  may  feel  its  peculiar  texture." 

The  tourist  then  takes  from  a  basket  at  his  side  a  kid  glove, 
previously  prepared  by  stuffing  it  with  damp  sand  an^  allowing 
it  to  rest  on  ice  for  an  hour  or  so.  The  guests  should  be  re- 
peatedly cautioned  about  dropping  the  specimen,  otherwise  the 


In-door  Amusements,  309 


peculiar  cold,  damp  feeling  of  what  seems  to  be  the  hand  of  a 
mummy  will  cause  the  nervous  ones  to  throw  it  from  them  in 
a  hurry.    After  this  has  made  the  circuit  of  the  table,  the  tour- 
ist places  it  upon  a  waiter  in  front  of  him  and  proceeds  to  ex- 
plain the  capture  of  a  very  curious  sea-urchin,  which  turns  out 
to  be  a  pincushion  with  the  points  of  pins  sticking  out  all  over 
it.    Next  comes  a  piece  of  the  Japanese  weeping  crystal  from 
a  cave  in  the  centre  of  Simoda— simply  a  piece  of  ice  ;  and  so 
the  game  continues  with  as  many  queer  specimens  as  the  inge- 
nuity of  the  tourist  can  invent.    A  glib  talker  can  so  excite  the 
imagination  of  his  hearers  as  to  often  make  them  believe  for 
the  time  that  the  object  they  are  handling  under  the  table  is  gen- 
uine.  When,  after  the  game  is  over,  the  contents  of  the  tour- 
ist's basket  are  exposed  for  the  audience  to  examine  by  sight  as 
well  as  touch,  there  is  always  a  great  laugh  as  each  one  recog- 
nizes some  familiar  object,  which,  with  the  help  of  a  dark  room 
and  a  vivid  imagination,  sent  the  chills  down  his  back. 

Mind-Reading. 

This  is  more  in  the  nature  of  a  trick  than  a  game,  but  as 
anything  that  creates  surprise  or  approaches  the  wonderful 
always  proves' attractive  and  entertaining,  I  introduce  this  plan 
of  readmg  the  contents  of  a  folded  paper  by  laying  it  across 
the  forehead.  The  mind-reader  seats  himself  at  a  table  at  one 
end  of  the  room  ;  the  audience  must  not  approach  nearer  than 
five  feet,  and  should  be  seated  in  a  semicircle  in  front  of  him. 
Slips  of  paper,  all  the  same  size  and  shape,  are  then  distributed 
among  the  audience,  with  the  request  that  each  one  write 
thereon  a  short  sentence,  plainly  and  in  English.  While  they 
are  busy  writing,  the  mind-reader,  or  medium,  is  preparing  for 
the  trial  by  first  making  sundry  passes  across  his  forehead,  rub- 
bing each  arm  slowly  from  shoulder  to  wrist,  and  then  sitting 
calm  and  silent,  staring  at  the  wall.    Each  person  folds  his 


2IO  Winter. 


piece  of  paper  carefully,  and  they  are  all  collected  by  some 
one,  who,  standing  alongside  the  medium,  presses  the  first 
paper  folded  on  the  medium's  forehead,  who  with  closed  eyes 
immediately  reads  the  contents  out  loud,  and  then  verifies  it  by 
taking,  opening,  and  re-reading  it  with  his  eyes  open,  and  re- 
quests the  writer  to  acknowledge  it,  after  which  the  second 
paper  is  treated  in  a  similar  manner,  thus  continuing  until  every 
paper  has  been  read  and  acknowledged.    All  this  appears  very 
wonderful  and  inexplicable  to  the  uninitiated,  but  perfectly 
simple  when  explained.    The  party  who  collects  the  papers  is 
the  medium's  confederate,  and  should  be  selected  from  among 
the  guests  some  time  before  the  game  is  proposed,  and  in  an- 
other  room  be  thoroughly  drilled  so  as  to  make  no  mistakes. 
The  confederate's  part  is  very  easy.    It  is  simply  to  let  the 
medium  know  what  is  to  be  written  on  his  piece  of  paper,  and 
be  careful  to  leave  that  particular  message  for  the  last  one  to 
be  read     On  these  two  points  depend  the  success  of  the  ex- 
periment, for  it  makes  no  difference  what  the  first  message  is. 
The  medium  reads  out  whatever  the  confederate  was  to  write, 
and  while  pretending  to  verify  it  by  re-reading  with  his  eyes 
open,  he  really  is  fixing  in  his  memory  the  lines  in  the  first 
paper  which  he  reads  out  as  the  contents  of  the  second  mes- 
sage   The  second  is  read  as  the  third,  and  so  on  through  them 
all.    The  confederate's  message,  which  was  read  out  as  coming 
first,  being  the  last,  brings  them  out  even. 

A  Literary  Sketch  Club 

is  a  new  idea,  which  has  been  tried  and  has  proved  very  suc- 
cessful, the  original  club  having  prospered  through  three  win- 
ters  and  still  boasts  of  some  thirty  enthusiastic  members,  ihe 
idea  of  the  club  is  that  each  member  illustrate  the  same  subject 
(previously  selected)  in  any  way  he  thinks  fit-the  artists,  if 
there  be  any  present,  by  a  drawing  or  painting  on  the  subject; 


In-door  Amusements.  311 


a  member  who  sings  may  select,  adapt,  or  originate  a  song 
that  will  express  his  idea  of  the  subject.  Instrumental  music 
may  be  made  to  tell  the  story;  short  sketches,  in  prose  or 
poetry,  original  essays,  or  selections  carefully  made  from  good 
authors ;  in  fact,  there  is  scarcely  any  one  who  cannot  illustrate 
the  subject  in  some  way  that  will  add  to  the  entertainment  of 
the  evening.  I  annex  the  Constitution  of  the  original  club, 
which  I  know  from  practical  experience  works  well : 

CONSTITUTION. 
I.  Name. 

The  name  of  this  society  shall  be  the  Literary  Sketch 

Club. 

II.  Officers. 

The  officers  of  this  club  shall  consist  of  a  president,  a  secre- 
tary, an  editor,  and  an  associate  editor. 

The  duties  of  president  and  secretary  shall  be  such  as  usually 
pertain  to  such  offices. 

The  editor,shall  have  entire  control  of  a  paper  to  be  issued 
by  the  club. 

The  duties  of  the  associate  editor  shall  be  to  assist  the  editor 
in  the  work  of  pubHshing  the  paper,  and  to  take  control  of  the 
paper  in  case  of  the  illness  or  absence  of  the  editor. 

The  election  of  officers  shall  take  place  at  the  first  meeting 
held  each  season,  their  term  of  office  to  expire  upon  the  next 
election  day. 

III.  Meetings. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  Literary  Sketch  Club  shall 

be  held  once  in  every  two  weeks. 


312 


IV.  Subjects  for  Illustration. 

The  subject  to  be  illustrated  must  be  selected  by  the  mem- 
ber who  is  to  next  entertain  the  club,  and  announced  by  him  at 
the  meeting  preceding  the  one  to  be  held  at  his  house. 

V.  Sketches. 

A  sketch  illustrating  the  subject  selected  will  be  expected 
from  each  member  present. 

The  said  sketches  may  be  essays,  poems,  songs,  music,  pic- 
tures, or  any  other  method  of  illustration  that  may  suggest 
itself.    Original  sketches  are  not  absolutely  required. 

Contributions  for  the  club  paper  must  be  sent  to  the  editor  ; 
they  may  be  anonymous. 

VI.  Election  of  New  Members. 
Candidates  for  membership  may  be  proposed  at  any  meet- 
ing and  the  election  proceeded  with,  two  black  balls  excluding 
the  candidate  from  membership. 

VII.  Absence. 
Absence  from  three  consecutive  regular  meetings,  without 
an  acceptable  excuse,  will  be  considered  equivalent  to  a  resigna- 
tion, and  the  absentee's  name  may  be  acted  on  accordingly. 

VIII.  Order  of  Business. 

1.  Roll  call. 

2.  Reading  of  the  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting 

3.  Presentation  of  sketches. 

4.  Reading  of  the  club  paper. 

5.  Reports  of  committees. 

6.  Miscellaneous  business. 

7.  Proposals  and  election  of  members. 

8.  Adjournment. 


In-door  Amusements,  313 


IX.  Amendments  to  Constitution. 
This  Constitution  can  be  amended  only  at  a  regular  meet- 
ing'by  a  two-thirds  vote,  due  notice  of  intended  amendment 
having  been  given  at  the  previous  regular  meeting. 

Printing  Presses. 
Little  printing  presses  may  be  had  at  such  reasonable  prices 
that  some  member  might  have  one  ;  in  that  case  the  club  paper, 
printed  in  due  form,  would  prove  a  souvenir  which  would  be 
prized  and  carefully  kept  by  each  member,  especially  should  it 
contam  an  article  by  himself  In  the  original  club  the  paper 
was  carefully  and  neatly  written  in  a  blank-book,  and  in  some 
mstances  illustrated  by  an  artistic  member. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


THE  BOY'S  OWN  PHUNNYGRAPH, 

TO  BE  EXHIBITED 

By  Prof.  Edd  and  Son. 

In  winter-time,  when  a  great  part  of  a  boy's  fun  must 
be  found  in-doors,  it  is  a  good  thing  to  know  how  to  get  up 
amateur  exhibitions  of  various  kinds.  In  this  way  boys  can 
have  a  good  time  while  preparing  the  shows,  and  may  also 
afford  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  to  their  companions  and  friends 
who  make  up  the  audiences. 

One  of  the  most  entertaining  parlor  exhibitions  which  can 
be  given  at  a  moderate  expense  by  a  party  of  bright  boys,  ac- 
customed to  the  use  of  carpenters'  tools,  is  The  Boy's  Own 
Phunnygraph,"  invented  by  the  author,  who  once  exhibited 
one  at  an  amateur  performance  before  an  audience  of  five  hun- 
dred people. 

The  first  thing  necessary  in  the  construction  of  this  very 
peculiar  machine  is  a  dry-goods  box,  large  enough  for  a  boy  to 
sit  inside  of  it  without  discomfort.  The  top  must  be  firmly 
nailed  on  and  the  two  sides  taken  off,  thus  leaving  nothing  but 
the  top,  bottom,  and  two  ends  of  the  box.  The  sides,  each  of 
which  probably  consists  of  two  or  three  pieces  of  board,  are  to 
serve  as  doors,  and  therefore  must  be  firmly  fastened  together 
by  means  of  cleats  or  narrow  strips  of  board  nailed  across 
them.   One  side  of  the  box,  which  we  shall  call  side  A,  must  be 


3i6 


very  strong,  and  will  probably  require  three  cleats.  The  other 
side,  B,  which  is  in  front  when  the  apparatus  is  in  use,  must 
now  be  fastened  to  the  box  by  a  pair  of  hinges  strong  enough 
to  sustain  its  weight.  There  should  be  a  hook  on  it,  to  keep  it 
shut  when  necessary. 

A  shelf  wide  enough  for  a  small-sized  boy  to  sit  upon  must 
be  attached  to  side  A,  and  should  be  supported  by  iron  braces. 
Strong  leather  straps  will  do  if  a  blacksmith  is  not  handy,  but 
they  must  be  very  firmly  fastened  to  the  shelf  and  to  the  back 
door  of  the  box,  as  we  shall  now  call  side  A.  As  a  small  boy 
with  a  strong  voice  is  to  sit  on  this  shelf,  it  would  ruin  the  ex- 
hibition if  the  shelf  were  to  break  down,  not  to  speak  of  the 
damage  which  might  be  done  to  the  boy.  Hence  this  back 
door  must  be  fastened  to  the  box  by  heavy  gate  or  barn-door 
hinges. 

Two  strong  wooden  bars  or  handles  must  now  be  secured 
to  the  bottom  of  the  box,  and  should  project  far  enough  at  the 
ends  of  the  box  to  allow  a  boy  to  stand  between  them,  at  each 
end,  when  the  box  is  to  be  Hfted  or  carried. 

The  rest  of  the  necessary  work  is  very  easy.  A  crank,  or 
turning  handle  (which  will  turn  nothing),  is  to  be  fastened  to 
one  end  of  the  box  ;  and  two  holes — about  two  inches  in  diam- 
eter— are  to  be  made,  one  in  the  front  door  and  one  in  the  top 
of  the  box.  In  each  of  these  a  tin  or  pasteboard  horn  is  to  be 
fastened — the  one  on  top  to  be  smaller  than  the  other. 

Then  on  the  inside  of  the  box  a  round  stick— a  broom-stick 
will  answer — is  to  be  placed  on  two  notched  blocks  fastened  to 
the  ends  of  the  box,  so  that  it  can  be  easily  taken  out  of  its  place 
by  the  small  boy,  and  put  back  again,  when  occasion  requires. 
A  tomato-can  may  be  stuck  on  the  broom-handle,  so  that  it 
will  look  like  a  tin  cylinder  containing  something  or  other  of 
importance.  This  round  stick,  with  its  cyHnder,  is  only  for 
show,  but  it  should  not  be  omitted. 


The  Boy's  Own  Phumtygraph,  317 


Nothing  more  is  now  necessary  but  a  pair  of  wooden  trestles, 
or  horses,  such  as  carpenters  use,  on  which  the  box  is  to  stand 
during  the  exhibition. 

Having  explained  how  to  make  this  novel  phonograph,  I 
have  only  to  tell  you  how  it  is  to  be  used.  It  is  evident,  from 
what  I  have  said,  that  there  is  to  be  a  small  boy  in  that  box, 
and  the  fact  is  that  he  is  the  most  important  part  of  the  whole 
machine  ;  for  this  is  only  a  piece  of  fun,  intended  to  excite 
curiosity  and  amusement  in  the  audience,  who  may,  perhaps, 
imagine  that  there  is  a  small  boy  somewhere  about  the  appa- 
ratus, but  who  cannot  see  where  he  is. 

The  phunnygraph,  which  should  stand  in  a  room  opening 
into  that  in  which  the  audience  is  to  assemble,  or  it  may  be 
behind  a  curtain,  must  be  arranged  in  working  order  some 
minutes  before  the  time  fixed  for  the  exhibition  to  com- 
mence. 

The  way  to  arrange  it  is  as  follows  :  The  back  door  of  the 
box  must  be  opened  and  the  small  boy  seated  on  the  shelf. 
The  door  is  closed,  the  boy  going  into  the  box  as  it  shuts.  The 
front  door  is  also  shut.  If  the  broom-handle  and  tomato-can 
are  in  the  boy's  way,  he  can  take  them  down  and  put  them  on 
one  side. 

The  Professor— who  is  to  exhibit  the  workings  of  the  ma- 
chine, and  who  should  be  a  boy  able  to  speak  fluently  and 
freely  before  an  audience — must  now  come  out  and  announce 
that  the  exhibition  is  about  to  begin.  He  should  see  that  the 
wooden  horses  are  so  placed  that  the  box  will  rest  properly 
upon  them,  and  should  make  all  the  little  preparations  which 
may  be  necessary.  Then,  after  a  few  words  of  introduction, 
he  may  call  for  his  phunnygrap'h,  and  the  box  will  be  borne  in 
by  two  boys. 

After  the  bearers  have  walked  around  the  stage,  so  that 
both  sides  of  the  box  may  be  seen  by  the  audience,  it  must  be 


Winter. 


The  Boys  Own  Phunnygraph.  319 


placed  on  its  trestles,  or  stands,  with  the  front  door  toward  the 
company. 

The  Professor  will  then  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
persons  present  have  seen  each  side  of  the  box,  and  can  see 
under  and  all  around  it,  thus  assuring  themselves  that  it  has  no 
connection  with  anything  outside  of  it,  except  the  stands  on 
which  it  rests.  He  will  then  proceed  to  open  it,  taking  care  to 
open  the  back  door  first.  The  small  boy  swings  back  with 
the  door,  which  conceals  him  from  the  audience  as  it  stands 
open.  As  soon  as  the  Professor  announces  that  he  is  about  to 
open  the  box,  the  small  boy  must  put  the  broom-stick  in  its 
place  if  he  has  taken  it  down.  Then  the  Professor  throws  open 
the  front  door  and  shows  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  box  but 
the  rod  and  cylinder,  which  seem  to  be  attached  to  the  crank. 
What  machinery  may  be  concealed  in  that  little  tin  cylinder,  he 
does  not  feel  called  upon  to  say. 

After  a  few  minutes  for  a  general  observation  of  the  inside 
of  the  box,  he  closes  it,  being  very  careful  to  shut  the  front  door 
first.  Then  the  small  boy  takes  down  the  broom-stick,  puts  it 
out  of  his  way,  and  proceeds  to  make  himself  comfortable 
and  ready  for  business. 

The  Professor  now  begins  to  exhibit  the  phunnygraph  by 
speaking  into  the  horn  at  the  top  of  the  box.  He  generally 
commences  with  a  short  sentence,  pronouncing  each  word 
loudly  and  clearly,  so  that  every  one  can  hear  it.  He  gives 
the  crank  a  few  turns  and  calls  upon  the  audience  to  be  very 
quiet  and  listen,  and  then,  in  a  very  few  moments,  the  same 
words  that  he  used  are  repeated  from  the  horn  in  the  front  of 
the  box,  the  small  boy  within  imitating,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
the  voice  and  tone  of  the  Professor. 

The  exhibition  may  go  on  as  long  as  the  audience  continues 
to  be  interested  and  amused.  All  sorts  of  things  may  be  spoken 
into  the  box,  which,  after  a  few  turns  of  the  crank,  will  be  re- 


320 


Winter. 


peated  from  the  mouth-piece  or  horn  in  the  front  door.  Various 
sounds  may  be  reproduced  by  means  of  this  machine,  and  an 
ingenious  Professor  and  a  smart  small  boy  can  make  a  deal 
of  fun. 

A  starthng  final  effect  may  be  produced  if,  after  the  Pro- 
fessor has  crowed  into  the  upper  horn,  the  boy  inside  can 
manage,  unplerceived — say  by  means  of  a  small  sliding-panel — 
to  throw  out  a  live,  strong-voiced  rooster. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  an  exhibition  of  this  kind 
will  be  successful  without  a  good  deal  of  careful  preparation 
and  several  rehearsals.  Every  one  should  be  perfectly  familiar 
with  his  duty  before  a  performance  in  front  of  an  audience  is  at- 
tempted. The  box-doors  should  work  perfectly,  the  small  boy 
should  be  able  to  sit  on  his  shelf  in  such  a  way  that  his  head 
will  never  stick  up  when  the  back  door  is  open,  and  he  should 
practice  putting  up  the  broom-stick  when  the  Professor  an- 
nounces that  the  box  is  to  be  opened.  By  the  way,  if  the  box 
is  opened  several  times  during  the  performance  to  oil  the  rod, 
or  to  do  some  little  thing  to  the  cylinder,  it  will  help  to  excite 
the  curiosity  of  some  of  the  audience  ;  but  the  Professor  must 
not  forget  that  the  front  door  must  never  be  open  when  the 
back  door  is  shut.  The  boys  who  carry  the  box  should  also 
carefully  practice  their  business,  so  as  to  set  the  box  down 
properly  on  its  supports,  and  to  see  that  it  is  firmly  placed.  It 
may  be  necessary  for  one  or  both  of  them  to  sit  on  the  front 
handles  when  the  back  door,  with  the  boy  on  it,  is  swung  back, 
so  as  to  balance  his  weight  and  prevent  an  upset.  But  experi- 
ment will  show  whether  this  is  necessary  or  not. 

As  to  the  business  of  the  Professor  and  the  small  boy,  that, 
of  course,  must  be  carefully  studied.  It  will  not  do  to  rely  on 
inspiration  for  the  funny  things  which  must  be  said  by  the 
Professor,  and  imitated  by  the  boy  in  the  box.  The  Professor 
may  bark  like  a  dog,  crow  like  a  cock,  or  make  any  curious 


The  Boy's  Own  Phunnygraph.  321 

sr"l?!^^''''1;  T^'^^^  ^^'^  P^^<^''=«  rehear- 

sal, that  the  small  boy  can  imitate  him. 

The  cost  of  the  box,  hinges,  braces,  etc..  will  probably  be 

erlrT^  "       "^"^  -  P-"ted,  or  cov! 

ered  w.th  cheap  muslm,  it  will  look  much  more  mysterious  and 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 
HOW  TO  MAKE  PUPPETS  AND  A  PUPPET-SHOW. 

The  puppet-show  is  certainly  an  old  institution  ;  and,  for 
aught  I  know,  the  shadow-pantomime  may  be  equally  ancient. 
But  the  puppet-show  here  described  originated,  so  far  as  I  am 
aware,  within,  our  family  circle,  having  gradually  evolved  itself 
from  a  simple  sheet  of  paper  hung  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  with 
a  light  placed  on  the  seat  of  the  chair  behind  the  paper. 

The  puppets  (not  the  most  graceful  and  artistic)  originally 
were  impaled  upon  broom-straws,  and  by  this  means  their 
shadows  were  made  to  jump  and  dance  around  in  the  most 
lively  manner,  to  the  intense  delight  of  a  juvenile  audience. 
As  these  juveniles  advanced  in  years  and  knowledge,  they 
developed  a  certain  facility  with  pencil  and  scissors  ;  the  rudi- 
mentary paper  animals  and  fairies  gradually  assumed  more 
possible  forms  ;  the  chair-back  was  replaced  by  a  wooden  soap 
or  candle-box  with  the  bottom  knocked  out ;  and  the  sheet  of 
paper  gave  way  to  a  piece  of  white  musHn.  Thus,  step  by 
step,  grew  up  the  puppet-show,  from  which  so  much  pleasure 
and  amusement  have  been  derived  by  the  writer  and  his 
young  friends  that  he  now  considers  it  not  only  a  pleasure, 
but  his  duty,  to  tell  his  readers  how  to  make  one  like  it  for 
themselves. 

The  construction  of  properties  and  actors,  and  the  manipu- 
lation of  the  puppets  at  an  exhibition,  are  by  no  means  the 
least  of  the  fun.  To  start  the  readers  fairly  in  their  career  of 
stage-managers,  this  chapter  tells  how  to  build  the  theatre, 


How  to  Make  Puppets  and  a  Puppet-Show.  323 


make  the  actors,  and  the  next  chapter  gives  an  original  adapta- 
tion of  an  old  story,  prepared  especially  for  a  puppet-show. 

How  to  Make  the  Stage. 

Among  the  rubbish  of  the  lumber-room,  or  attic,  you  can 
hardly  fail  to  find  an  old  frame  of  some  kind— one  formerly 
used  for  a  picture  or  old-fashioned  mirror  would  be  just  the 
thing.  Should  your  attic  contain  no  frames,  very  little  skill 
with  carpenters'  tools  is  required 
to  manufacture  a  strong  wooden 
stretcher.  It  need  not  be  orna- 
mental, but  should  be  neat  and 
tidy  in  appearance,  and  about  two 
feet  long  by  eighteen  inches  high. 

On  the  back  of  this  tack  a  piece 
of  white  muslin,  being  careful  to 
have  it  stretched  perfectly  tight, 
like  a  drum  -  head.  The  cloth 
should  have  no  seams  nor  holes  in 
It  to  mar  the  plain  surface. 

A  simple  way  to  support  the  frame  in  an  upright  position  is 
to  make  a  pair  of  shoes,"  of  triangular  pieces  of  wood.  In 
the  top  of  each  shoe  a  rectangular  notch  should  be  cut,  deep 
enough  to  hold  the  frame  firmly.  Fig.  203  shows  a  wooden 
frame,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  shoes  should  be  made. 


Fig.  203.— Wooden  Frame  for 
Puppet-Show. 


The  Scenery 

can  be  cut  out  of  card-board.  Very  naturaMooking  trees  may 
be  made  of  sticks  with  bunches  of  pressed  moss  pasted  upon 
the  ends.  Pressed  maiden-hair  fern  makes  splendid  tropical 
foliage,  and  tissue  or  any  other  thin  paper  may  be  used  for 
still  water.     Thin  paper  allows  the  light  to  pass  partially 


324 


Winter, 


\ 


through,  and  the  shadow  that  the  spectator  sees  is  lighter  than 
the  silhouette  scenery  around,  and  hence  has  a  sort  of  translu- 
cent, watery  look.  Scenery  of  all  kinds  should  be  placed  flat 
against  the  cloth  when  in  use. 


Fig.  204. — Diagram  of  the  Old  Mill. 

And  now  that  you  have  a  general  idea  how  the  show  is 
worked,  I  will  confine  my  remarks  for  the  present  to  the  play 
in  hand.  It  is  a  version  of  the  old  story  of  Puss-in-Boots," 
and  there  will  be  given  here  patterns  for  all  the  puppets  neces- 


How  to  Make  Puppets  and  a  Puppet-Show.  325 


sary,  although  in  the  court  scene  you  can  introduce  as  many 
more  as  you  like. 
The  first  scene  is 


The  Old  Mill. 

This  scene  should  be  made  of  such  a  length  that,  with  the 
bridge,  it  will  just  fit  in  the  frame.  Take  the  measurement  of 
the  inside  of  the  frame.  Then  take  a  stiff  piece  of  card-board 
of  the  requisite  length,  and  with 
a  pencil  carefully  copy  the  illus- 
tration (Fig.  204),  omitting  the 
wheel.  Lay  the  card-board  flat 
upon  a  pine  board  or  old  kitchen 
table,  and  with  a  sharp  knife 
(the  file-blade  is  the  best)  follow 
the  lines  you  have  drawn.  Cut 
out  the  spaces  where  the  water 
is  marked,  and  paste  tissue-pa- 
per in  their  place.  Take  anoth- 
er piece  of  card-board  and  cut 
out  a  wheel ;  in  the  centre  of 
this  cut  a  small  square  hole, 
through  which  push  the  end  of  a  stick,  as  in  Fig.  205.  Drive  a 
pin  into  the  end  of  the  stick,  allowing  it  to  protrude  far  enough 
to  fit  easily  into  a  slot  cut  for  that  purpose  in  the  bridge  where 
it  comes  under  the  mill  (see  Fig.  204).  The  wheel  can  then  be 
made  to  turn  at  pleasure  by  twirling  between  the  fingers  the 
stick  to  which  the  wheel  is  attached. 


Fig.  205 


The  Mill  Wheel  with 
handle  attached. 


Puss. 

To  make  puss,  take  a  piece  of  tracing-paper  and  carefully 
trace  with  a  soft  pencil  the  outlines  of  the  cat,  from  the  illus- 
tration here  given.    Tack  the  four  corners  of  the  tracing  re- 


326 


Winter. 


versed  (that  is,  with  the  tracing  under)  on  a  piece  of  card-board. 
Any  business  card  will  answer  for  this  purpose.  Now,  by 
going  over  the  lines  (which  will  show  through  the  tracing-paper) 
with  a  hard  pencil,  you  will  find  it  will  leave  a  sufficiently  strong 
impression  on  the  card  to  guide  you  in  cutting  out  the  puppet. 


Puss  as  he  first  appears. 


Dead  Rabbit. 


Live  Rabbit. 

Almost  all  puppets  can  be  made  in  the  same  way.  Puss  as 
he  first  appears,  the  rabbit,  rat.  and  bag,  should  be  impaled 
upon  the  end  of  a  broom-straw;  but  the  remaining  puppets 
should  each  have  a  stick  or  straw  attached  to  one  leg,  or  some 
other  suitable  place,  just  as  the  stick  is  pasted  to  the  donkey  s 
leg  as  represented  in  Fig.  206. 


How  to  Make  Puppets  and  a  Puppet-Show.  327 


CORSANDO  AND  THE  DONKEY 
are  made  of  two  separate  pieces,  as  indicated  in  Fig.  206. 

The  dotted  line  shows  the  continuation  of  the  outline  of  the  for- 
ward piece.  Cut 

out  the  two  pieces 

in  accordance 

with  the  diagram, 

and  then  place  the 

tail-piece  over  the 

head  -  piece,  and 

at  the  point 

marked  "  knot," 

make  a  pin-hole 
through  both 
pieces  of  the  pup- 
pet. Tie  one  end 
of  a  piece  of  heavy 
thread  into  a  good 
hard  knot ;  put 
the  other  end  of 
the  thread  through 
the  holes  just 
made,  draw  the 
knotted  end  close 
up    against  the 

puppet,  and  then  Fig.  206.— Corsando  on  his  Donkey. 

tie  another  knot  upon  the  opposite  side,  snug  against  the  card- 
board ;  cut  off  the  remaining  end  of  the  thread.  Having  done 
this,  tie  a  piece  of  fine  thread  to  the  point  near  the  knee  of  Cor- 
sando, and  fasten  a  stick  to  the  foreleg  of  the  donkey,  as  shown 
m  Fig.  206.  Paste  a  straw  in  one  of  Corsando's  hands  for  a 
whip,  and  two  pieces  of  string  in  the  other  hand  for  a  halter  or 


i 


328 


Winter. 


bridle.  By  holding  in  one  hand  the  stick  attached  to  the  leg  of 
the  donkey,  and  gently  pulling  the  thread,  marked  string"  in 
the  diagram,  the  donkey  can  be  made  to  kick  up  in  a  most 
natural  and  mirth-provoking  manner. 


The  Royal  Coach, 
When  you  make  the  king  and  princess  in  their  coach,  by 


Fig.  207.— King  and  Princess  in  the  Royal  Coach. 


cutting  out  the  king  separately  and  fastening  the  lower  end  of 
his  body  to  the  coach  in  the  manner  described  for  joining  the 


How  to  Make  Puppets  and  a  Puppet-Show.  329 

two  parts  of  the  donkey,  the  king  can  in  this  manner  be  made 
to  sit  upright,  or  to  fall  forward  and  look  out  in  the  attitude 
shown  by  Fig.  207,  which  explains  the  construction  perfectly 
A  and  B  being  two  small  blocks  pasted  on  to  the  card-board 


Fig.  208.— Leader,  or  First  Horse,  of  Royal  Coach. 

for  the  king's  arm  or  body  to  rest  on.    Fig.  208  shows  the  first 
horse  of  the  royal  coach  ;  the  second  horse  is  a  duplicate  of  the 
first,  minus  the  rider.    Fasten  the  horses  and  coach  together  by 
pasting  a  long  flat  stick  extending  across  from  horse  to  horse 
and  to  the  coach,  where  the  traces  would  be. 


330 


Winter. 


Car  ABAS. 

Fig.  209  shows  Carabas  in  a  bathing  suit. 

Fig.  210  shows  the  same  gentleman  in  court  dress. 


Fig.  209.— Carabas  in  Bathing  Suit    FiG.  210.— Carabas  in  Court  Dress. 

How  to  Work  the  Puppets. 

To  make  puss  carry  the  bag,  the  operator  will  have  to  use 
both  hands,  holding  in  one  hand  the  stick  attached  to  puss,  and 
in  the  other  the  straw  attached  to  the  bag.  Then,  by  keeping 
the  bag  close  against  pussy's  paws,  it  will  appear  to  the 
audience  as  if  he  were  holding  the  bag.  In  the  same  manner 
he  is  made  to  carry  the  dead  rabbit  to  the  king.  When  the 
rabbit  seems  to  hop  into  the  bag,  he  in  reality  hops  behind  it, 
and  then  drops  below  the  stage. 

The  operator  must  remember  never  to  allow  his  hands 


How  to  Make  Puppets  and  a  Puppet-Show.  331 


to  pass  between  the  light  and  the  cloth,  as  the  shadow  of  an 
immense  hand  upon  the  cloth  would  ruin  the  whole  effect. 
All  the  puppets  for  each  scene  should  be  carefully  selected  be- 
fore the  curtain  rises,  and  so  placed  that  the  operator  can  at 
once  lay  his  hand  upon  the  one  wanted.  There  must  be  no 
talking  behind  the  scenes,  and  the  puppets  should  be  kept 
moving  in  as  life-like  a  manner  as  possible  while  their  speeches 
are  being  read  for  them.  Several  rehearsals  are  necessary  to 
make  the  show  pass  off  successfully. 

Stage  Effects. 

One  would  naturally  suppose  that  with  only  a  candle  and  a 
cloth  screen  for  a  stage,  and  some  puppets  cut  out  of  card  or 
pasteboard  for  actors,  that  the  stage  effects  would  be  very 
limited,  and  consequently  the  plays  stiff  and  uninteresting  ;  this 
is,  however,  not  true  ;  any  of  the  familiar  old  fairy  tales  may, 
with  a  little  alteration,  be  arranged  for  a  puppet-show  and  put 
upon  the  stage  in  such  a  manner  as  to  amuse  and  interest  an 
audience  of  young  and  old  people.  Jointed  puppets,  by  the 
aid  of  movable  lights,  sticks,  and  strings,  may  be  made  to  go 
through  the  most  surprising  contortions  and  manoeuvres. 

Boys  thar  have  a  talent  for  drawing  will  find  an  unlimited 
amount  of  amusement  in  drawing  and  cutting  out  the  puppets ; 
but  for  those  boys  who  have  neither  a  talent  nor  a  taste  for  the 
use  of  the  pencil,  original  puppets  are  necessarily  out  of  the 
question.  All  the  characters  of  any  play  can  be  made  by 
selecting  appropriate  figures  of  animals  and  men  from  illustrated 
books  and  papers,  and  enlarging  or  reducing  them  after  the 
manner  described  in  Chapter  XXVI.,  page  250.  In  this  manner 
the  puppets  given  in  this  chapter  may  be  enlarged  to  almost 
any  required  proportions. 

At  a  Sunday-school  entertainment,  given  in  Brooklyn  last 
winter,  the  following  play  of  "  Puss-in-Boots  "  was  produced  by 


332 


Winter. 


pasteboard  actors  a  foot  high,  to  the  great  dehght  of  a  large 
and  enthusiastic  audience  of  mixed  young  and  old  folks. 

How  to  Make  a  Magical  Dance. 

Have  one  or  two  jointed  figures  appear  and  commence  to 
dance,  and  while  they  are  capering  around,  let  another  light  be 
brought  in  ;  immediately  there  will  be  two  figures  for  every  one 
that  first  appeared  upon  the  scene.  Each  light  casts  a  shadow, 
and  the  shadows  are  all  that  is  visible  to  the  audience,  so  to 
them  the  puppets  appear  to  fall  into  doubles  in  the  most  unac- 
countable manner.  If  the  puppets  are  kept  stationary,  and  the 
two  lights  moved  backward  and  forward,  the  puppets  will  ap- 
pear to  move  around,  pass  and  repass  each  other ;  thus,  with 
two  or  three  lights  moving  behind  the  screen,  two  or  three 
puppets  can  be  transformed  into  a  crowd  that  will  be  in  constant 
motion. 

How  to  Make  a  Sea  Scene. 


Cut  two  duplicate  pieces  of  pasteboard  in  the  form  of 
waves  (see  Fig.  211).    Let  each  piece  be  a  little  longer  than  the 


Fig.  211.— Pasteboard  W^aves. 


frame  of  the  puppet-show  stage.  When  the  light  throws  the 
shadow  of  one  of  these  pieces  of  pasteboard  upon  the  musHn 
screen,  it  looks  like  a  simple  row  of  scallops  ;  but  when  the  two 
pieces  are  moved  backward  and  forward,  it  gives  motion  to  the 
shadows,  and  they  have  the  appearance  of  rolling  waves;  a 
pasteboard  ship  rocking  upon  the  waves  will  add  to  the  effect. 
A  lighthouse  can  be  cut  out  of  pasteboard  and  placed  upon  a 
pasteboard  rock  at  one  side  ;  thunder  may  be  imitated  by  roll- 


How  to  Make  Puppets  and  a  Puppet-Show.  333 


ing  croquet  balls  over  the  top  of  a  wooden  table,  and  lightning 
represented  by  small  flashes  of  gunpowder. 

If  the  puppet  ship  be  held  at  first  some  distance  from 
the  screen  the  shadow  will  be  large,  and  if  the  puppet  slowly 
approach  the  screen  it  will  decrease  in  size  and  have  the  ap- 
pearance of  gradually  sailing  away.  In  this  manner  the  hero 
and  heroine  may  be  made  to  escape  aboard  a  vessel  from  the 
irate  and  stern  parents.  Many  other  scenes  can  be  produced 
with  very  simple  means  that  will  suggest  themselves  to  the 
young  showmen  after  a  few  experiments  with  the  puppet-show. 
Colored  lights  used  very  sparingly  often  come  in  with  telling 
effect.  A  phantom  ship  can  be  made  to  follow  the  real  one  by 
having  another  hght  some  distance  off;  one  light  will  cast  a 
heavy  shadow  and  the  other  a  faint  one,  which  will  move  as  the 
Hght  moves ;  move  the  light  up  and  down,  and  the  ship  and 
waves  follow  and  keep  time  with  the  light.  Many  other  effects 
I  used  to  produce  in  my  puppet-shows  that  at  present  escape 
my  memory,  but  no  doubt  the  reader  will  think  of  them  him- 
self if  he  becomes  interested  enough  to  make  a  puppet-show 
for  the  entertainment  of  himself  and  friends,  Christmas  or  New 
Year's  eve  ;  in  which  case  Old  St.  Nicholas,  with  his  sleigh 
drawn  by  deer  and  loaded  with  toys,  must  form  part  of  the 
show. 


Miller.  Carabas  (not  yet  a  Marquis). 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
PUSS-IN-BOOTS. 
Dramatized  and  Adapted  for  a  Puppet-Show. 

PUSS-IN-BOOTS. 

Puppets  :  Carabas,  afterward  the  Marquis  ;  his  oldest  brother,  the  Miller  ; 
CoRSANDO,  his  next  older  brother;  Puss-iN-BooTS ;  Wolfgang,  the  Ogre; 
King  ;  Princess  ;  King's  Servants  ;  Donkey  ;  Rabbit  ;  Bag  ;  Rat. 
Also,  if  desired,  Courtiers. 

Act  I.    Scene  J. 

Scene  :  Landscape  with  tree,  bridge,  and  mill  at  one  side.  Corsando  discovered 
riding  the  Donkey  backward  and  forward  over  the  bridge.  Miller  and  Cara- 
bas emerge  from  the  mill  and  stop  under  tree. 

Miller  :  Come,  come,  brother  Carabas,  don't  be  downcast ! 
You  know,  as  the  youngest,  you  must  be  the  last. 


Puss-in-Boots. 


335 


Our  father,  of  course,  left  to  me  the  old  mill, 
And  the  ass  to  Corsando,  for  so  reads  the  will ; 
And  he  had  nothing  else  but  our  big  pussy-cat. 
Which  is  all  he  could  give  you.    A  fool  can  see  that ! 
Yet  Dick  Whittington  once  the  Lord  Mayor  became, 
And  his  start  and  yours  are  precisely  the  same. 
But  see  !  I  am  wasting  my  time  from  the  mill, 
For  while  I  am  talking  the  wheels  are  all  still. 
I  have  nothing  to  give  you — be  that  understood. 
So  farewell,  my  brother  !    May  your  fortune  be  good. 

[Exit  Miller  into  mill,  when  wheel  begins  to  turn.     Corsando  approaches, 
and  stopping  the  Donkey  in  front  of  Carabas,  addresses  him.] 

Corsando  :    Now,  dear  brother  Carabas,  take  my  advice : 

Go  hire  out  your  cat  to  catch  other  men's  mice. 

[Corsando  turns  to  leave ;  Puss  comes  out  and  gives  the  Donkey  a  scratch,  caus- 
ing him  to  kick  wildly  as  he  goes  off.] 

Carabas  :  O  Fortune,  befriend  me  !  what  now  shall  I  do  ? 
Come,  Pussy,  stay  by  me — I  depend  upon  you. 
You  are  all  that  I  have,  but  can  do  me  no  good, 
Unless  I  should  kill  you  and  cook  you  for  food. 
Puss  :  Meow  !  Meow  !   Kill  me  not,  my  good  master,  I  pray — 
Have  mercy  upon  me  !    Now  list  what  I  say  : 

I'm  no  common  cat, 

I  assure  you  of  that ! 
In  the  top  of  the  mill,  where  the  solemn  owl  hoots, 
You  will  find,  if  you  look,  an  old  pair  of  top-boots. 

Bring  them  to  me. 

With  the  bag  you  will  see 

Under  the  mill,  by  the  roots  of  yon  tree. 
Carabas  :  Well,  Puss,  what  you  ask  for  I  will  not  refuse, 
Since  I  have  all  to  gain  and  have  nothing  to  lose. 

[Exit  into  the  mill, 

[Puss  stands  a  moment  as  if  to  think,  then  capers  up  and  down  the  stage  and  speaks.] 


336 


Winter. 


Puss  :        A  rat  ?    Bah  !  what's  that  ? 
Sir  Whittington's  cat 
Would  have  grown  very  fat 
Had  she  lived  upon  such  prey 
All  the  time,  day  after  day, 
Till  she  made  a  Lord  Mayor  of  her  master ! 
But  mine  shall  gain  a  name 
Through  much  sweeter  game, 
And  not  only  climb  higher  but  faster  ! 

[Exit. 

[Shift  the  scene  by  removing  the  light  and,  while  the  stage  is  dark,  removing  the 
mill  and  in  its  place  setting  up  some  trees.] 

Act  I.    Scene  II. 
Scene  :  Woods.    Enter  Puss-in-Boots,  carrying  Bag. 

Puss  :  Mey-o-w  !  m-e-y-o-w  ! 

Were  it  not  for  these  boots  I  should  sure  have  pegged  out ; 
But  if  I'm  not  mistaken,  there's  game  hereabout, 
For  I  scent  in  the  air 
A  squirrel  or  hare. 
I  wonder  now  whether  he's  lean,  lank,  or  stout  ? 
But  I  know  a  habit 
Of  the  shy  little  rabbit : 
He'll  enter  this  bag,  and  then,  my  !  won't  I  grab  it? 
[Arranges  Bag  and  hides  ;  Rabbit  comes  out,  and  after  running  away  several  times, 
enters  the  Bag,  when  Puss  pounces  upon  it.] 

Puss  :  To  the  King  in  a  moment  I'll  take  you,  my  dear, 
For  he's  e'en  over-fond  of  fat  rabbits,  I  hear. 

An'  I  once  gain  his  ear 

I  see  my  way  clear  ; 
For  I'll  tell  him  a  story  both  wondrous  and  queer. 
And  then  my  poor  master'll  have  nothing  to  fear — 
If  he  acts  as  I  bid  him,  good  fortune  is  near  ! 

[Curtain.] 


Puss-in-Boots, 


337 


Act  II .  Scene! 

Scene:  King's  Palace.  King  discovered  standing  behind  a  throne 
and  attendants  standing  around.  A  loud  "  meow  ! "  heard  without 
Court  start.    Enter  Puss,  with  Rabbit  in  his  paws. 

Puss  :  Meow  !  My  great  liege,  may  your  Ma- 
jesty please 
To  smile  on  a  slave  who  thus  here,  on  his 
knees, 

A  humble  offering 
From  Carabas  doth  bring. 
And,  Sire,  my  master  further  bade  me  say, 
If  it  please  his  gracious  King,  he  will  gladly 

send  each  day 
The  choicest  game  that  in  his  coverts  he  can 
find  ; 

And  your  kind  acceptance  of  it  still  closeher 
will  bind 

A  hand  and  a  heart  as  loyal  and  true 
As  e'er  swore  allegiance,  O  King,  unto  you  ! 
King  :  Your  master  has  a  happy  way 

Of  sending  gifts.    Thus  to  him  say, 
That  we  accept  his  offer  kind, 
And  some  good  day,  perhaps,  may  find 
A  way  to  thank  him  which  will  prove 
We  value  most  our  subjects'  love. 
Carabas,  is  your  master's  name  ? 
What  rank  or  title  doth  he  claim  ? 
Shall  we  among  the  high  or  low 
Look  for  your  lord,  who  loves  us  so  ? 
Puss  :  A  marquis  is  my  master,  Sire  ; 

In  wealth  and  honor  none  are  higher. 


Princess 
King  and 


The  King:  *'  Your 
master  has  a  happy- 
way  of  sending  gifts." 


338 


Winter. 


fAside. 

(Cats  must  have  a  conscience  callous 
Who  work  their  way  into  a  palace!) 

Now,  if  it  please  your  Majesty, 

I  will  return,  and  eagerly 

To  my  marquis-master  bring 

This  kind  message  from  his  King. 

[Exit,  bowing.  Curtain.] 

Act  11.     Scene  11. 

Scene:  High-road;  one  or  two  trees.     Carabas  and  Puss-in-Boots  discovered. 

Puss :  Meow  !  my  good  master,  have  pa- 
tience, I  pray. 

Carabas  :  Patience  to  doctors  !  I'm  hungry, 
I  say ! 

Puss  :  All  will  go  well  if  you  mind  me  to-day, 
And  while  the  sun  shines  we  must  surely 
make  hay. 
Carabas  :  Carry  your  hay  to  Jericho  ! 

Who  can  eat  hay,  I'd  like  to  know  ! 
Puss  :  Meow  !  my  good  master,  your  help  I 
implore. 

And  while  I  help  fortune,  you  open  the 
door, 

Carabas  :  No  house  do  I  own,  so  where  is 
the  door? — 
Ah!  Pussy,  forgive  me,  I'll  grumble  no 
more. 

But  help  all  I  can  in  your  nice  little  plan  ; 
For  I  know  you  have  brains.  Puss,  as  well  as  a  man. 
Puss  :  Meow  !  my  good  master,  e'en  though  you  froze, 
You  must  bathe  in  yon  river  ! 

[Exit  Carabas.] 


Puss-in-Boots.  330 


And  now  for  his  clothes  ! 
The  King's  coach  is  coming,  and  I've  laid  a  scheme- 
Though  of  that,  I  am  sure,  the  King  doesn't  dream. 
The  coach  is  in  sight !    Now,  may  I  be  blessed 
If  I  don't  wish  my  master  was  wholly  undressed  ! 

[Loud  cries  without.] 

There  !  now  hear  him  screaming— the  water  is  cold  • 
1 11  go  bury  his  clothes,  for  they  need  it !  they're  old. 
[Exit  Puss,  who  soon  returns.    As  he  re-enters,  the  King's  coach  appears.] 

Puss  :  Meow  !  my  good  master !    Alas  for  him  ! 

Help  !  fire  !  murder  !    My  master  can't  swim. 
[Runs  to  coach.] 


Servant  with  boat-hook.    ' '  Ho,  slaves  !  to  the  rescue !  " 

Help  !  help  !  gracious  King,  or  Lord  Carabas  drowns  ! 
King  :  Ho,  slaves  !    To  the  rescue  !     A  hundred  gold  crowns 


Winter, 


Will  we  give  to  the  man  who  saves  Carabas'  Hfe  ! 
[Servants  rush  across  the  stage.    King  continues,  aside  :] 

My  daughter  shall  soon  make  the  marquis  a  wife. 
Puss  (aside)  :  Mighty  keen  are  a  cat's  ears  ! 

Who  knows  all  that  Pussy  hears  ! 
This  is  better  than  I  hoped  for,  by  a  heap. 
What  a  very  lucky  thing 
The  blessed,  kind  old  King 
Doesn't  know  this  shallow  river  isn't  deep  ! 

[Exit  Puss,  running  after  Servants.    Puss  immediately  returns,  crying  :] 

O  King  !  what  a  combobbery  ! 

There's  been  an  awful  robbery, 
And  no  clothing  for  the  marquis  can  we  find. 
King  :  That  is  no  great  disaster, 

For  tell  your  worthy  master 
We  always  pack  an  extra  suit  behind. 

If  we  can  trust  our  eyes, 

He's  just  about  our  size. 
So,  while  in  yonder  grove  we  take  a  rest, 

Your  master'll  not  encroach  ; 

Tell  him  to  use  our  coach, 
And  not  to  haste,  but  drive  up  when  he's  dressed, 
[Exit  coach,  backing  out,  the  Driver  crying :] 

Whoa!   Back!   Back!   No  room  to  turn  here  ! 
Whoa!   Back!  Back! 

[Enter  Carabas,  in  bathing  suit.    Puss  runs  after  him.] 

Puss  :  Meow  !  my  good  master  ! 

I  couldn't  do  it  faster. 
But  I've  now  a  costly  suit,  and  just  your  size. 
In  the  King's  coach  you're  to  ride, 
With  the  Princess  by  your  side  ; 


Puss-in- Boots. 


341 


Make  love  to  her,  and  praise  her  beauteous  eyes. 
And,  master,  Hst  to  me  ! 
Whate  er  you  hear  or  see, 
Be  very  sure  you  never  show  surprise. 

[Curtain.] 

Act  III.    Scene  I. 

SCEN  F, :  Interior  of  Ogre's  castle.    Puss-in-Boots  discovered. 

Puss  :  I'm  here  at  last ! 

Much  danger's  past  ; 
But  such  long  tramps  my  liking 
hardly  suits  ; 
Twas  wisdom  when  I  guessed 
That  it  was  surely  best 
To  secure  these  blessed,  helpful 
old  top-boots. 
I  was  made  to  understand 
That  all  this  beauteous  land 
Belonged  to  this  man-eating  old 
Wolfgang ; 
But  as  down  the  road  I  sped, 
To  each  laborer  I  said : 
Your  life  upon  your  answer  now 
doth  hang. 
When  the  sovereign  comes 
this  way, 

Wolfgang:  "Blood  and  thunder!!"  ^^^^ ^     he     questions,  you. 

Straightway, 

This  land  belongs  to  Carabas,"  must  say. 
[Awful  growling  and  noise  heard,  and  Wolfgang  enters.] 
Wolfgang  :   Blood  and  thunder  ! 

Who,  I  wonder, 


342 


Winter, 


Sent  me  such  a  tempting  pussy-cat  for  dinner  ? 
I  can't  under- 
stand the  blunder  ; 
But  I'm  glad,  my  pussy-cat,  that  you're  no  thinner. 
Puss  :  M-e-o-w  !    My  brother  Wolfgang  (ah,  how  rich  !) 
,  I  wouldn't  have  believed 
You  so  easily  deceived. 
Know  that  I  am  Catoscratch,  the  witch. 
Wolfgang:  Rattledy  bang  ! 

Snake  and  fang  ! 
So  you're  a  witch,  all  skilled  in  herbs  and  roots  ! 
My  power  is  no  less, 
But  I  must  confess 
That  I  ne'er  before  this  saw  a  cat  in  boots  ! 
Puss  :  Meow  !  my  brother,  speak  not  of  my  skill : 

'Tis  true  I  can  change  to  a  cat,  but  no  more. 
While  fame  says  that  you  can  assume  at  your  will 
i  .   Any  form  that  you  please,  be  it  higher  or  lower. 
Many  a  league, 
With  much  fatigue, 
From  a  country  of  ice  and  snow. 
On  my  broomstick  steed 
Have  I  come,  with  speed, 
These  great  wonders  to  see  and  know. 
Wolfgang  :  Cuts  and  slashes  ! 

Blood  in  splashes  1 
Who  dares  doubt  what  I  can  do  ? 
Now  tell  me,  old  witch, 
Of  the  many  forms,  which 
Shall  I  take  to  prove  this  to  you  ? 
Puss  :  Meow  !  my  great  Wolfgang,  it  seems  to  me  that 
Of  all  'twould  be  hardest  to  turn  to  a  rat  1 


Puss-tn- Boots. 


[Wolfgang  must  be  drawn  backward  toward  the  light.  This  will  cause  his 
shadow  to  grow  to  immense  proportions.  After  slowly  lifting  him  over  the  candle 
take  up  the  Rat  and  just  as  slowly  put  it  over  the  light,  and  move  the  puppet  up 
until  It  touches  the  cloth.  The  audience  will  see  Wolfgang  swell  up  to  a  shapeless 
mass,  and  then,  apparently,  reduce  himself  to  a  tiny  rat.  Puss  must  then  be  made 
to  pounce  upon  the  Rat,  and  by  passing  the  Rat  behind  Puss,  and  then  letting  it 
drop,  It  will  look  to  the  audience  as  if  Puss  swallowed  the  Rat  whole.] 

Puss  :  Bah  !  Ugh  !  Spat  ! 

What  a  horrid  rat  ! 
[Struts  up  and  down  the  stage.] 

Well,  I  think  for  a  cat  I'm  pretty  plucky  ! 

Now  I'll  go  and  bring 

The  Princes  and  the  King 
To  the  castle  of  Lord  Carabas,  The  Lucky  ! 

[Puss,  dancing  frantically,  laughing  and  purring,  nearly  tumbles  against  the  King, 
Carabas,  and  the  Princess,  as  they  enter.]  ' 

Puss  :  Pardon,  most  gracious  Sire,  pardon,  great  King  ! 
That  your  humble  servant  should  do  such  a  thing 
It's  because  I'm  delighted, 
More  than  if  I  had  been  knighted, 
That  the  marquis,  my  master,  should  entertain  the  King. 
King  :  A  truly  faithful  servant  you  must  be,  Pussy. 

When  the  marquis  can  spare  you,  come  to  me.  Pussy. 
We'll  see  that  you're  not  slighted  ; 
Even  now  you  shall  be  knighted — 
Sir  Thomas  Cat  de  Boots  your  name  shall  be,  Pussy. 
King  (continuing  to  Carabas)  : 
This  castle,  marquis  brave, 
Beats  the  very  best  we  have. 

Carabas  :  Most  gracious  Sire,  there's  not  a  thing 
Belongs  to  me  

[Puss  rushes  frantically  to  Carabas,  and  whispers  in  his  ear;  then  returns.] 


344 


Winter. 


Carabas  :  But  to  my  King. 

For  my  life  and  all  I  have  to  thee  I  owe. 
King  :  My  Carabas,  we're  pleased  ; 

Our  mind  is  cheered  and  eased, 
For  we  feared  that  this  great  castle  held  a  foe. 
'Tis  a  princely  home,  'tis  true,  . 
And  we'll  make  a  prince  of  you. 
You  shall  wed  my  charming  daughter,  ere  we  go. 
Puss  :  M-e-o-w  !  M-e-o-w  !  M-e-o-w  ! 

What  would  say  his  brothers  now. 
If  they  saw  Lord  Marquis  Carabas  the  Great  ? 
And  until  the  last  horn  toots 
(With  Sir  Thomas  Cat  de  Boots), 
He  shall  occupy  his  present  high  estate  ! 


[All  dance.  Curtain.] 


"  A  rat  ?    Bah  !  what's  that  ?  " 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

HOW  TO  MAKE  A  MAGIC  LANTERN— A  KALEI- 
DOSCOPE—A FORTUNE-TELLER'S  BOX,  ETC. 

Upon  opening  his  eyes  late  one  summer  morning  the  author 
was  very  much  startled  and  astonished  at  an  apparition  he  be- 
held upon  the  wall.    He  saw  at  one  side  of  the  room,  in  a  wav- 
ing circle  of  light,  a  horrible,  gaping  monster  that  was  about  to 
make  a  mouthful  of  a  wriggling,  big-headed  creature,  as  large 
as  a  cat.    Upon  turning  over  in  bed  and  facing  the  window, 
the  cause  of  this  strange  phenomenon  was  seen.    The  ''gap- 
ing monster"  proved  to  be  a  tiny  gar,  and  the  wriggler  noth- 
ing more  nor  less  than  a  tadpole.    The  curtains  of  the  window 
had  fallen  down  upon  each  side  of  a  glass  globe  in  which  some 
aquarium  pets  were  quarrelling.    A  ray  of  the  morning  sun  had 
found  its  way  into  the  darkened  room  through  the  fish  globe, 
and  by  some  unaccountable  means  transformed  the  globe  into 
a  sort  of  magic  lantern  lens  and  slide,  throwing  the  magnified 
reflections  of  the  inmates  of  the  aquarium  upon  the  wall.  The 
gradual  change  in  the  position  of  the  sun  caused  the  vision  to 
fade  away  in  a  few  moments,  and  the  writer  has  never  since 
been  able  to  arrange  the  light  so  as  to  reproduce  the  same  efi*ect. 
Fortunately,  however,  some  one  else  has  discovered  the  princi- 
ple, and  from  it  evolved  a  simple  magic  lantern,  which  any  boy 
can  make  for  himself ;  an  account  of  this  invention  lately  ap- 
peared in  the  Scientific  American,  and  the   editors  of  that 
paper  have  kindly  consented  to  allow  the  description  to  be 
used  for  the  benefit  of  the  ''American  Boys." 


346 


Winter. 


All  that  is  required  for  this  apparatus  is  an  ordinary  wooden 
packing-box,  A  (Fig.  212),  a  kerosene  hand-lamp,  B,  with  an 
Argand  burner,  a  small  fish  globe,  C,  and  a  burning-glass  or 
magnifying-glass  (a  common  double  or  plano-convex  lens),  D. 
In  one  end  of  the  box,  A,  cut  a  round  hole,  E,  large  enough  to 
admit  a  portion  of  the  globe,  C,  suspended  within  the  box.  A, 
with  the  lamp,  B,  close  to  it.  The  globe  is  filled  with  water, 
from  which  the  air  has  been  expelled  by  boiling. 

Now  moisten  the  surface  of  a  piece  of  common  window- 
glass  with  a  strong  solution  of  common  table  salt,  dissolved  in 


0- 


FiG.  212.— A  Magic  Lantern. 


water,  and  place  it  vertically  in  a  Httle  stand  made  of  wire,  as 
shown  at  F,  so  that  the  light  from  the  lamp,  B,  will  be  focused 
on  it  by  the  globe,  which  in  this  case  answers  as  the  condenser. 
The  image  of  the  glass  will  then  be  projected  on  the  wall  or 
screen  of  white  cloth,  G,  providing  the  lens,  D,  is  so  placed  in 
the  path  of  the  rays  of  light  as  to  focus  on  the  wall  or  screen. 
In  a  few  minutes  the  salt  solution  on  the  surface  of  the  glass, 
F,  will  begin  to  crystallize,  and  as  each  group  of  crystals  takes 
beautiful  forms,  its  image  will  be  projected  on  the  wall  or 
screen,  G,  and  will  grow,  as  if  by  magic,  into  a  beautiful  forest 
of  fern-like  trees  ;  it  will  continue  to  grow  as  long  as  there  is 
any  solution  on  the  glass  to  crystallize.  Then  by  adding  a  few 
drops  of  any  transparent  color  to  the  water  in  the  globe,  the 


How  to  Make  a  Magic  Lantern,  Etc. 


347 


image  on  the  screen  will  be  illumined  by  shades  of  colored  light 
If  the  room  in  which  the  experiment  is  performed  be  very 
cold,  frost  crystals  can  be  made  by  breathing  on  the  glass  F 
Many  other  experiments  will  suggest  themselves,  and  when 
tried  wiU  be  found  both  entertaining  and  instructive. 

A  Home-made  Kaleidoscope, 

At  all  glaziers'  shops  there  are  heaps  of  broken  glass  com- 
posed of  fragments  of  what  were  once  long  strips,  cut  with  the 
diamond  from  pieces  of 
window-pane,  when  fit- 
ting them  for  the  sash. 
If  you  secure  three  of 
these  strips  of  the  same 
size,  and  tie  them  to- 
gether  in  the   form  ^^^^ 
shown  by  Fig.  213,  the 
strings  will  keep  the  glass  in  position.    Cut  a  piece  of  semi- 
transparent  writing-paper  in  the  form  shown  by  Fig.  214,  so 
that  it  will  fit  on  one  end  of  the  prism.    With  mucilage  or  paste 
fasten  the  overlapping  edges  to  the  glass  ; 
then  with  dark  or  opaque  paper  make  an- 
other piece  to  fit  upon  the  opposite  end  of 
the  kaleidoscope;  the  opaque  end-piece 
should  have  a  round  hole  in  its  centre 
about  the  size  of  a  silver  twenty-cent  piece 
—this  is  for  the  observer's  eye.    All  that 
now  remains  to  be  done  is  to  cover  the 
sides  of  the  apparatus  with  the  same  paper 
^"'"'ii^I^l^l^'^'''  ^'^^  eye-piece,  and  the  kaleido- 

scope  is  finished. 
Drop  a  few  bits  of  colored  glass,  beads  or  transparent  peb- 
bles m  and  turn  the  writing-paper  end  to  the  light ;  place  your 


Fig.  213. -Kaleidoscope. 


Winter. 


eye  at  the  hole  cut  for  that  purpose  in  the  opaque  paper  end, 
and  as  you  look  keep  the  prism  slowly  turning  ;  the  reflection 
in  the  glass  will  make  the  objects  within  take  all  manner  of  ever- 
changing,  odd,  and  beautiful  forms.  A  kaleidoscope  made  in 
the  manner  described  is  as  serviceable  and  produces  as  good 
results  as  one  for  which  you  would  have  to  pay  several  dollars 
at  a  store.  One  of  the  home-made  ones  can  be  manufactured 
in  ten  minutes  if  the  pieces  of  glass  be  of  the  same  length,  and 
need  no  trimming  to  make  them  even. 

The  Fortune-Teller's  Box. 

There  exists  in  all  countries  a  class  of  people  who  make 
their  living  out  of  the  proceeds  derived  from  tricks  and  decep- 
tions practised  upon  the  ignorant,  credulous,  or  superstitious 
portion  of  the  population. 

In  the  by-streets  of  almost  any  large  city  may  be  seen  signs 
posted  up  on  dingy-looking  houses,  which,  if  they  were  to  be 
believed,  would  lead  us  to  think  that  the  gifted  race  that  live 
in  these  dweUings  can,  by  the  aid  of  spirits,  fairies,  or  by  the 
signs  in  the  heavens,  give  accurate  information  of  all  past  or 
future  events. 

Some  of  these  so-called  mediums  make  such  bunghng  at- 
tempts at  magic  and  necromancy  that  it  is  a  wonder  that  they 
are  able  to  deceive  any  one.  Others,  however,  perform  some 
really  wonderful  tricks. 

With  a  little  trouble  and  no  expense  any  boy  may  fit  him- 
self out  as  a  fortune-teller,  and  have  an  unlimited  amount  of 
fun  with  his  friends,  who  may  be  mystified  and  puzzled  by  sim- 
ple contrivances,  which,  if  explained  to  them,  would  be  imme- 
diately understood.  The  professional  fortune-teller  will  take 
persons  into  a  dimly  Hghted  room  and  ask  if  they  wish  to  see 
their  future  wives  or  husbands,  as  the  case  may  be  ;  of  course 
they  do.    The  witch  then  leads  them  up  to  a  table,  which 


How  to  Make  a  Magic  Lantern,  Etc.  349 


has  an  apparatus  on  top  arranged  so  as  to  allow  the  dupes  to 
peer  in  for  a  sight  of  their  lover.  When  they  really  see  what 
appear  to  be  live,  moving  figures  inside  the  tube,  they  go 
their  ways  rejoicing,  fully  convinced  that  there  is  truth  in  magic. 
One  of  these  fortune- 
teller boxes  can  be 
made  of  any  old  wood- 
en box.  Such  as  is 
used  for  soap  or  can- 
dles  is  generally 
about  the  proper  di- 
mensions. 

Knock  one  end  of 

the  box  out,  and  cut  a 

square  hole  in  the  lid 

in  which  to  fit  an  in- 
verted L-shaped  appa- 
ratus. The  L  should  be 

open  at  both  ends,  but 

tightly  closed  upon  the 

four  sides.     A  small 

mirror  must  be  fitted 

in  the  L  at  the  angle 

(see  B,  Fig.  215),  and 

the   L  fitted   in  the 

square  hole  in  the  top 

of  the   wooden  box  in      ^^G-  ^IS-— Construction  of  Fortune-Teller's  Box. 

such  a  manner  that  any  image  cast  upon  the  large  looking- 
glass,  A,  in  the  wooden  box,  will  be  again  reflected  in  the 
smaller  mirror,  B,  at  the  angle  in  the  L,  and  from  thence  to  the 
observer's  eye  when  placed  at  the  open  end  of  the  L.  This 
can  best  be  arranged  by  experiment.  The  open  end  of  the 
wooden  box  must  fit  closely  in  a  square  hole  cut  in  the  parti- 


350 


Winter. 


tion  or  curtain  that  separates  the  young  magician's  apartment 
from  a  room  or  closet  occupied  by  an  accompHce.  Cover  the 
box  with  a  cloth  which  has  a  square  hole  in  it,  and  fits  snugly 
around  the  bottom  of  the  L,  covering  and  concealing  the  sus- 
picious-looking, large  box  beneath.  If  the  work  has  been  neatly 
done,  the  machine  will  look  like  an  ordinary  table  or  stand 
with  an  innocent-looking  peep-box  on  top  of  it. 

Secure  some  friend  for  an  accomplice,  whom  you  know  to 
possess  a  ready  wit  and  a  knack  for  making  himself  up,"  with 
the  aid  of  burnt  cork  and  a  few  old  clothes,  so  as  to  take  any 
comic  character  that  the  occasion  may  require,  with  only  a  few 
moments'  notice. 

Supplv  him  with  what  wardrobe  he  may  require,  burnt 
corks,  flour,  etc.,  and  then  fix  up  the  programme  between  you, 
so  that  the  boy  behind  the  screen  will  know  just  what  to  do, 
from  listening  to  what  is  going  on  in  front,  at  the  fortune-tel- 
ler's box. 

When  all  is  arranged,  the  fortune-teller  may  announce  to 
what  friends  or  visitors  he  may  have,  that,  owing  to  the  conjunc- 
tion of  certain  planets,  he  is  enabled  to  entertain  them  by  show- 
ing to  all  who  have  any  desire  or  curiosity  to  see  such  wonders, 
glimpses  of  the  past  and  future,  and  to  prove  it,  if  any  of  the 
company  would  Hke  to  behold  a  life-like,  moving  image  of  a 
future  wife  or  husband,  he  (the  fortune-teller)  can  bring  up  the 
image  in  a  magic  telescope,  which  was  obtained  from  a  direct 
descendant  of  Aladdin.  The  young  magician  must,  by  precon- 
certed arrangement,  bring  a  man  or  boy  out  for  a  first  peep. 
At  a  private  signal  of  a  word  or  exclamation,  the  accomplice 
steps  in  front  of  the  open  end  of  the  wooden  box  behind  the 
partition,  dressed  as  an  old  colored  lady.  The  image  is  at  once 
reflected  upon  the  mirror  at  A,  and  from  that  to  B,  thence  to 
the  observer's  eye.  After  the  latter  has  had  a  good  look,  the 
rest  of  the  company  may  be  asked  to  take  a  peep  and  see  their 


How  to  Make  a  Magic  Lantern,  Etc,  351 

fortunate  (?)  friend's  choice  for  a  wife.  When  they  see  the  old 
colored  lady  there  will  be  a  great  laugh,  in  which  the  boy  upon 
whom  the  joke  has  been  played  will  join  with  all  the  greater 
zest,  because  he  knows  he  will  soon  have  a  chance  to  laugh  at 
some  one  else.  The  fortune-teller  must  guard  with  zealous  care 
the  secret  of  the  box,  and  must  discourage  any  too  curious  per- 
sons  from  handling  or  examining  the  apparatus.  A  little  mys- 
tery IS  necessary  to  keep  up  the  fun. 

The  Magic  Cask. 
^  After  the  fortune-teller  has  amused  his  friends  sufficiently 
with  his  magic  telescope,  he  may  end  the  stance  by  inviting 
the  company  to  another  room  and  bidding  them  remain  at  the 
door  while  he  examines  something  at  the  other  end  of  the 
apartment— the  something  is 
covered  with  a  cloth.  Upon 
reaching  the  object,  the  ma- 
gician must  turn  suddenly 
and  face  the  guests  in  the 
doorway,  and,  in  vehement 
language,  accuse  them  of 
doubting  the  reality  of  the 
visions  he  has  conjured  up  for 
them,  stating  that  he  over- 
heard some  among  them  say 
that  it  was  nothing  but  a 

trick.     Rather  than  be  ac-  Fig.  216.— The  Magic  Cask, 

cused  of  such  deception,  he,  the  great  wizard,  prefers  to  per- 
ish !  At  this  part  the  conjurer  must  quickly  remove  the  cloth 
conceaHng  the  object  in  the  corner,  and  disclose  a  barrel, 
marked  in  large  letters,  Gunpowder!  Striking  a  match,  the 
seemingly  desperate  wizard  applies  it  to  a  fuse  that  hangs  from 
the  bung  of  the  barrel,  and,  assuming  a  tragic  attitude,  awaits 


Winter. 


the  result.  The  guests  will  be  uncertain  what  to  do,  and,  half 
in  doubt  whether  to  laugh  or  run,  they  will  probably  stand  their 
ground,  but  anxiously  watch  the  fuse  as  the  light  creeps  up 
toward  the  bung  of  the  terrible  cask  of  gunpowder.  When  the 
fire  reaches  the  barrel  there  is  an  instant  of  suspense  ;  then 
some  one  in  the  secret  lets  an  extension-table  leaf  fall  upon  the 
floor  in  the  hall  or  adjoining  room,  startling  the  guests  and 
making  a  loud  noise  ;  instantly  the  staves  of  the  barrel  fly  apart 
and  fall  upon  all  sides  of  the  head,  radiating  out  like  the  petals 
of  a  sunflower,  from  the  centre  of  which  the  fortune-teller's  ac- 
comphce  steps  forth  and  greets  the  company. 

How  the  Barrel  is  Made. 

Any  cask  or  barrel  large  enough  to  hold  a  boy  in  a  crouch- 
ing position  will  do  to  manufacture  a  magic  barrel  from.  To 
make  one  of  these  trick-boxes  requires  no  particular  skill.  It  is 
necessary  to  remove  one  head  for  the  top,  and,  after  joining  the 
parts  of  the  other  head  firmly  together  by  cleats  nailed  upon 
the  inside  (see  Fig.  i68.— Snow-ball  Warfare),  burn  a  hole  with 
a  red-hot  poker  through  each  stave  near  the  bottom,  then  burn 
corresponding  holes  through  the  bottom  head  ;  make  the  staves 
fast  to  the  bottom  by  tying  them  with  pieces  of  heavy  twine. 
Around  the  top  of  the  staves  of  the  barrel  tie  another  piece  of 
twine ;  remove  all  the  hoops,  and  all  that  will  hold  the  staves 
together  will  be  the  twine  at  the  top  (see  Fig.  2 1 6)  ;  as  soon  as  that 
is  severed,  the  staves  will  fall  asunder.  Inside  the  barrel  the 
accomplice  crouches  with  open  pen-knife  in  hand,  and  at  the 
proper  time  he  cuts  the  string  by  passing  the  blade  of  his  knife 
between  two  staves.  Left  without  support  the  barrel  staves  fall, 
exposing  the  gentleman  within  to  the  frightened  spectators,  who, 
when  they  discover  that  there  really  was  no  gunpowder  in  the 
cask,  will  welcome  the  new-comer  most  heartily. 

In  amateur  theatricals  the  magic  cask  can  be  brought  in  very 


How  to  Make  a  Magic  Lantern,  Etc.  353 


effectively  with  the  aid  of  a  red  light  and  appropriate  ceremony. 
The  audience  may  be  led  to  expect  a  most  terrible  explosion, 
and  with  bated  breath  watch  the  fuse  as  the  light  slowly  creeps 
up  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  bung  of  the  cask.  When  the  time 
comes  as  much  noise  must  be  made  as  possible  ;  then,  as  the 
staves  fall  on  all  sides  and  spread  out  like  a  sunflower,  a  red 
light  suddenly  thrown  upon  a  boy  dressed  like  a  scarlet  imp, 
makes  a  pretty  as  well  as  a  mirth-provoking  transformation 
scene. 

Before  exhibiting  it,  the  barrel  should  be  tried  to  see  that  it 
works  properly,  and  the  boy  in  the  barrel  should  rehearse  his 
part,  and  not  forget  to  have  a  sharp-bladed  knife  ready  to  cut 
the  cord  at  the  given  signal,  otherwise  the  whole  scene  will 
fall  very  flat. 

23 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


HOW  TO  MAKE   THE   DANCING   FAIRIES,  THE 
BATHER,  AND  THE  ORATOR. 

The  guests  are  led  to  a  room,  which  is  discovered  to  be 
dimly  lighted  and  apparently  unoccupied  ;  they  are  then  told 
that  it  is  the  fairies'  night,  and  that  although  the  little  people  are 
incapable  of  appearing  in  their  natural  form  so  as  to  be  discern- 
ible, yet  on  certain  nights  of  the  year  the  fairies  are  wiUing  to 
enter  into  and  animate  artificial  figures  made  for  their  use. 
While  talking  in  this  style,  the  performer  must  borrow  three  or 
four  pocket-handkerchiefs  from  the  guests,  and,  after  bidding 
the  latter  be  seated,  proceed  to  make  the  handkerchiefs  up  into 
little  figures. 

How  to  Make  a  Handkerchief  Doll. 

Roll  up  both  edges  of  the  handkerchief,  as  shown  by  Fig. 
217.  Fold  the  end  A  over  toward  the  end  B,  as  shown  by 
Fig.  218.  Next  draw  the  end  B  up  between  the  corners  of  A 
until  the  handkerchief  takes  the  form  illustrated  by  Fig.  219. 
Bring  the  ends  of  B  under  C,  and  tie  them  in  a  simple  knot, 
allowing  the  ends  to  project  as  in  Fig.  221,  which  shows  the 
back.  The  handkerchief  now  has  the  appearance  of  a  little 
white  man  (Fig.  220 — front  view). 

After  the  handkerchief  men  are  finished,  the  company  must 
be  requested  to  stand  or  sit  where  they  are,  near  the  door,  and 
on  no  account  to  move  for  fear  of  frightening  the  little  people. 
Carrying  the  handkerchief  dolls  to  the  middle  of  the  room,  under 


How  to  Make  the  Dancing  Fairies^  Etc.  355 


the  chandelier,  and  making  some  passes  over  them,  the  magi- 
cian leaves  the  figures  sitting  upright  upon  the  fk)or.  One  of 
the  company  may  be  then  asked  to  play  upon  the  piano.  No 
sooner  does  the  first  note  struck  upon  the  instrument  sound 
through  the  room,  than  signs  of  Hfe  beconve  noticeable  among 
the  handkerchief  figures  ;  they  move,  and,  one  by  one,  rise  and 
stand.    As  the  music  becomes  lively  the  handkerchiefs  lose 


Fig.  217.  Fig.  218.  Fig.  219.  Fig.  220.  Fig,  221. 

Evolutions  of  the  Handkerchief. 

their  diffidence  and  dance  about  in  a  very  active  manner. 
After  the  dance  is  over  the  handkerchiefs  are  returned  to  the 
owners  and  the  room  vacated,  to  give  the  fairies  an  opportu- 
nity to  rest,  and  the  childrefty  that  have,  during  the  perform- 
ance, been  hiding  behind  the  furniture,  an  opportunity  to  make 
their  escape  unobserved.  The  children  are  as  necessary  as  the 
handkerchief  dolls,  for  it  is  by  means  of  silken  threads  in  the 
hands  of  the  little  folks  that  the  fairies  are  made  to  dance  and 
move  about.  For  each  handkerchief  there  is  a  piece  of  thread 
long  enough  to  reach  over  the  chandelier  down  to  the  floor. 
Each  piece  of  thread  terminates  in  a  hook  made  of  a  crooked 
pin.  While  the  magician  is  making  the  customary  passes,  he 
deftly  hooks  the  figures  on  to  the  pins.  Old  and  worldly  wise 
people  have  been  completely  mystified  by  this  simple  Httle  trick. 


356 


Winter. 


In  any  attempt  at  magic  or  fortune-telling,  the  success  of 
the  experiment  depends  more  upon  the  manner  in  which  the 
deceptions  are  performed  than  upon  the 
tricks  themselves.  The  magician  or  for- 
tune-teller must  be  a  person  not  Hable 
to  become  flustered  and  confused  at  any 
little  mishap.  A  boy  with  a  cool  head 
and  ready  invention  can  smooth  over 
the  most  palpable  mistakes  and  make 
his  audience  believe  them  all  in  the  pro- 
gramme. 


The  Bather 

is  sure  to  produce  a  laugh  whenever  ex- 
hibited by  a  clever  person.  The  pre- 
parations must  be  made  in  an  apparent- 
ly careless  manner,  so  as  not  to  attract 
Fig.  222.— First  portion  of  attention.  Tie  a  simple  knot  in  the  end 
Handkerchief.  ^  handkerchief  and  let  it  rest  against 

the  knuckles  of  the  left  hand,  while  the  rest  of  the  handkerchief 
dangles  below,  as  in  Fig.  222  ;  do  this  as  if  you  were  only  ab- 
sent-mindedly playing  with  your  pocket-handkerchief.  Wrap 
the  handkerchief  around  your 
two  first  fingers,  as  in  Fig.  223  ; 
then,  as  if  you  had  just  thought 
of  it,  ask  the  company  if  they 
ever  noticed  how  becoming  the 
bathing  costumes  are  to  most 
people,  adding,  that  to  you  a 
bather  running  down  the  beach 
always  looks  like  this — here  you 
make  the  little  figure  run  rapidly  along  your  lap  or  the  table- 
top  toward  the  company  (Fig.  223).    The  ends  of  the  fingers 


Fig.  223.— The  Bather. 


How  to  Make  the  Dancing  Fairies,  Etc.  357 

protruding  from  below  the  white  handkerchief  look  exceedingly 
comical,  while  the  knot  on  top  will  be  at  once  recognized  as  the 
bather's  head,  done  up  in  a  handkerchief  or  towel  to  keep  the 
salt  water  out  of  the  hair.    If  among  the  company  there  be  any 
who  are  familiar  with 
the  scenes  at  seaside 
summer  resorts,  they 
will  be  convulsed  with 
laughter.   Some  peo- 
ple  can  entertain  a 
company  for  a  whole 
hour  with  nothing  but 
a   gHb   tongue  and 
a  pocket-handker- 
chief. 


The  Orator. 

This  comical  little 
toy  can  be  made  by 
a  boy  who  has  really 
no  knowledge  of 
drawing. 

From  some  col- 
ored chromo  or  illus- 
trated paper  cut  out 
an  appropriate  face 


Fig.  224.— The  Orator. 

and  paste  it  on  a  piece  of  card-board,  as  in  the  accompanying 
Illustration  (Fig.  224).  Where  the  arms  are  to  be,  cut  two  holes 
large  enough  to  admit  two  fingers  of  your  hand.  From  a 
piece  of  dark  cloth  cut  two  pieces  shaped  like  the  front  of  a  coat 
and  paste  them  on  in  the  proper  place  (Fig.  224).  Cut  another 
tnangular  piece  of  cloth  for  the  vest ;  let  it  be  red  or  some 
bright  color.    Paste  the  vest  on  as  shown  by  the  diagram  ■ 


358 


Winter. 


make  a  collar  by  drawing  the  outlines  as  in  the  illustration  and 
leaving  it  white  between  them  ;  any  bit  of  bright  ribbon  will  do 
for  the  necktie.  Draw  a  couple  of  straight  lines  beneath  the  fig- 
ure to  represent  the  top  to  a  speaker's  stand.    From  the  same 

material  that  is  used  for  the 


/    coat  cut  two  pieces  of  cloth, 
'      '    of  the  shape  shown  by  Fig. 
225,  A,   for   the  sleeves. 
Sleeve  \     Let  them  be  of  such  length 

that  when  the  top  edge  is 
folded  back  the  distance  of 
the  vertical  cuts  shown  on 
the  diagram,  and  the  sleeve 
wrapped  around  the  fore- 
finger, the  end  of  the  finger 
will  protrude  the  length  of 
the  nail.    Sew  or  paste  the 


Cuff 


FIG.  22S.-Pattern  of  Sleeve  and  Cuff.         ^^^^^  ^^^^^^^ 

er  and  put  the  slit  ends  (A,  Fig.  225)  through  the  arm-holes  cut 
in  the  card-board  ;  bend  back  the  sHts  and  paste  them  upon  the 
back  of  the  card-board.  Make  the  cuffs  of  white  paper  (Fig.  225, 
B),  and  fasten  them  inside  the  sleeves  by  a  few  stitches  of  thread. 

The  orator  is  now  finished  and  ready  to  deliver  his  oration. 
Hold  the  card  up  in  front  of  you  and  thrust  your  first  two  fingers 
through  the  sleeves.  The  flesh-colored  tips  of  your  fingers  peep- 
ing from  beneath  the  white  cufTlook  like  little  fists,  and  when 
the  fingers  are  moved  around  in  mimic  gestures,  the  effect  is  comi- 
cal beyond  measure  and  will  create  a  laugh  wherever  exhibited. 
If  the  picture-head  of  some  well-known  public  man  can  be  pro- 
cured, it  will  add  greatly  to  the  effect  produced  upon  the  audi- 
ence. A  comical  speech  should  be  prepared  and  recited  with  ac- 
companying movements  of  the  arms  (fingers).  The  little  man  can 
be  made  to  scratch  his  nose,  roll  up  his  sleeves,  and  go  through 
many  other  movements  in  a  most  natural  and  life-like  manner. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

HOW  TO  MAKE  VARIOUS  AND  DIVERS 
WHIRLIGIGS. 

Who  can  watch  machinery  of  any  kind  in  motion,  without 
experiencing  an  indefinable  sort  of  pleasure  ?  No  matter  how 
simple  the  contrivance  may  be,  if  it  move  it  immediately  in- 
terests us.  This  instinct,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  that  prompts  us 
to  watch  and  play  with  machinery  is  im- 
planted in  the  brain  of  the  lower  animals  as 
well  as  of  man.  I  think  no  one  can  doubt 
that  a  kitten  or  a  dog  enjoys  chasing  a  ball, 
and  enters  into  the  sport  with  as  much  zest 
as  a  college-boy  does  his  game  of  football. 
It  is  this  same  indefinable  desire  for  observ- 
ing and  experimenting  with  moving  objects 
that  prompts  us  to  throw  stones  for  the  pur- 
pose of  seeing  them  skip  over  the  surface  of 
the  water,  and  to  this  instinct  must  be  at- 
tributed the  pleasure  experienced  by  the 
school-boy  with  his 

Potato  Mill,  The  Potato  Mill. 

which  consists  of  simply  a  stick,  a  potato,  a  buckeye,  or  a  horse- 
chestnut,  and  a  string.  The  stick  is  whittled  into  the  form 
shown  in  the  illustration  ;  a  string  is  fastened  to  the  stick  about 
one-half  inch  below  the  knob  on  the  top.    The  buckeye  has  a 


360 


Winter. 


large  hole  bored  through  the  middle,  and  a  small  hole  bored 
through  one  side,  to  the  middle  hole  ;  the  string  from  the  stick 
passes  through  the  hole  in  the  side  of  the  buckeye  ;  the  end 
of  the  stick  is  sharpened  and  thrust  into  a  potato. 

If  the  string  be  wound  around  the  stick,  and  the  buckeye 
held  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger,  the  stick  and  potato 
may  be  made  to  spin  rapidly  by  alternately  pulling  the  string 
and  allowing  it  to  slacken  ;  the  motion  imparted  by  the  first 
pull  continues  long  enough  to  wind  the  string  in  the  opposite 
direction,  and  thus,  for  an  indefinite  time,  or  until  the  string 
wears  out  by  friction,  the  potato  mill  may  be  kept  buzzing  at  a 
great  rate. 

Another  machine  the  boys  used  to  be  very  fond  of  was 
called 

A  Saw-Mill ; 

it  was  generally  made  out  of  the  top  of  a  tin  blacking-box,  with 
the  rim  knocked  off  and  the  edge  cut  into  notches  like  a  saw. 
Two  strings  passing  through  two  holes  near  the  centre  gave  a 
revolving  motion  to  the  "  buzzer"  (Fig.  226  shows  a  saw-mill). 

By  holding  the  strings 
so  that  the  wheel  hangs 
loosely  in  the  middle, 
and  swinging  the  wheel 
or  ''buzzer"  around 
and  around  until  the  string  becomes  tightly  twisted,  the  ma- 
chine is  wound  up.  As  with  the  potato  mill,  the  revolving  mo- 
tion is  imparted  by  alternately  pulling  and  allowing  the  string  to 
slacken,  only  in  this  case  you  must  hold  one  end  of  the  string 
in  each  hand  (Fig.  226).  When  the  boys  can  make  a  buzzer 
actually  saw  into  a  piece  of  board  or  shingle  by  allowing  the 
edge  of  the  wheel  to  strike  the  wood,  the  saw-mill  is  pronounced 
a  success,  and  its  value  increased. 


How  to  Make  Variotts  Whirligigs.  361 


^  Very  pretty  and  amusing  toys  may  be  made  on  the  same 
principle  as  the  saw  or  potato  mills  described.    One  of  these 
little  machines,  a  very  fascinating  one,  is  sold  upon  the  streets 
of  New  York  by  the  novelty  peddlers.    As  the  writer  was  pass- 
ing along  Broadway  the  other  day,  he  saw  an  old  acquaintance, 
known  to  almost  all  New  Yorkers  by  the  name  of  Little 
Charlie."    Little  Charlie  is  not  a  small  man,  as  his  name  might 
imply,  but  a  large,  good-natured,  red-faced  peddler,  who  stands 
all  day  long  at  the  street  corners.    During  the  winter  he  sells 
small  india-rubber  dolls,  crying  out  to  the  passers-by  :  ^^Well » 
well !  well !  Little  Charlie  !  double  him  up  !  double  him  up  ! 
He  doubles  the  little  india-rubber  dolls  up  in  a  comical  manner 
to  attract  customers.    The  torrid  summer  heat  is  too  much 
for  the  india-rubber  dolls,  and  makes  them  sticky,  so  that  they 
are  laid  aside  during  the  hot  weather,  and  Little  Charlie,  with 
the  perspiration  streaming  from  his  face,  no  longer  calls  out  in 
his  accustomed  manner,  but  stands  silently  twirling  his  summer 
novelty,  trusting  to  the  ever- 
changing  colors  of  the  toy  to 
attract  purchasers.     One  was 
bought  that  it  might  be  intro- 
duced among, the  other  whirli- 
gigs in  this  chapter. 

The  Rainbow  Whirligig. 

If  you  have  a  pair  of  divid- 
ers, make  a  circle  upon  a  piece 
of  card-board  about  two  inches 
in  diameter;  inside  this  circle 

maV<=^  ciV  /^-(-V.^*.  ^-     1      /T^-  N  227.— A  disk  of  the  Rainbow 

make  six  other  circles  (Fig.  227).  Whirligig. 
A  pair  of  scissors  can  be  made  to  do  the  duty  of  a  pair  of  divid- 
ers by  spreading  them  apart  the  required  distance  and  thrust- 
ing the  points  through  a  card  to  hold  them  in  position  (Fig 


362 


Winter, 


Fig.  228.— a  Pair  of  Dividers. 


228).  Make  a  duplicate  figure  or  disk  and  paint  the  parts  of 
the  inside  circles,  shaded  in  the  diagram,  different  colors  ;  for 
instance,  A  and  D  may  be  made  blue, 
B  and  E  green,  C  and  F  red.  The  points 
of  the  star  in  the  centre  made  by  the  in- 
tersection of  the  circumference  of  the 
circles  should  be  painted  the  same  color 
as  the  parts  of  the  circle  adjoining. 
Upon  the  second  disk  paint  A  and  D 
blue,  B  and  E  yellow,  C  and  F  red. 

Cut  a  piece  of  one-quarter  inch  pine 
into  a  square,  with  sides  of  about  two 
and  one-quarter  inches  in  length;  cut  off 
the  corners  as  shown  by  I,  Fig.  229.  In  a  hole  in  the  centre  of 
I  fasten  tightly  the  round  stick  J.  Whittle  out  another  piece 
for  a  handle  K,  and  bore  a  hole  through  the  top  for  the  stick  J 
to  fit  in  loosely  ;  bore  another  hole  1 
through  one  side  for  the  string  to 
pass  through.  In  the  illustration, 
as  in  the  original  from  which  the 
drawing  was  made,  there  is  a  large 
hole  bored  through  two  sides ;  but 
this  is  unnecessary,  and  only  put  in 
the  diagram  to  better  show  the  po- 
sition of  the  string  inside.  Upon 
the  wooden  plate  I,  describe  a  circle 
about  one  and  three-quarter  inches 
in  diameter.  In  the  centre  of  the 
two  paper  disks  make  holes  large 
enough  to  fit  with  shoe-eyelets; 
then  with  tacks  (L,  Fig.  229)  fasten 
the  two  paper  disks  on  to  the  wooden  plate  at  the  pomts  G  and 
H,  in  such  a  manner  that  the  tack  passing  through  the  eyelets 


Fig.  229.— Parts  of  Rainbow 
Whirligig. 


How  to  Make  Various  JVhirligigs. 


will  allow  the  disks  to  revolve  freely.  Attach  a  string  to  the 
stick  J  at  a  point  that  will  come  opposite  the  string-hole  in  the 
side  of  the  handle,  when  the  stick  J  is  slid  into  the  hole  at  the 
top  of  the  handle  K.  The  wooden  disk  is  made  to  spin  exactly 
in  the  same  manner  that  motion  is  imparted  to  the  potato  mill 
already  described.  When  in  motion  the  colors  on  the  paper 
disks  will  blend  and  produce,  with 
each  change  of  position,  a  number 
of  beautiful  variations.  The  two 
paper  disks  blend  together,  making 
a  large  circle  three  and  one-half 
inches  in  diameter,  composed  of 
concentric  rings  of  the  most  lovely 
hues— red,  pink,  purple,  green,  and 
all  the  different  shades  and  combi- 
nations imaginable  are  portrayed 
with  ever-changing  variety  by  the 
spinning  rainbow  whirligig. 

A  Paradoxical  Whirligig 

is  a  very  ingenious  toy,  consisting 
of  a  circle  of  white  card-board,  up- 
on the  surface  of  which  any  num- 
ber of  black  rings  are  painted,  one        230-— Paradoxical  v^hiriigig. 
within  the  other,  until  it  resembles  an  archery  butt  or  target. 

The  disk  is  tacked  or  glued  securely  to  a  stick  or  handle 
(Fig.  230)  so  that  it  is  impossible  for  it  to  really  revolve,  yet  if 
you  grasp  the  toy  by  the  handle  and  give  your  arm  a  motion 
similar  to  that  of  the  shaft  of  an  engine,  the  disk  upon  the  stick 
will  appear  to  revolve  like  a  wheel,  and  so  closely  does  the  opti- 
cal delusion  resemble  actual  motion  that  it  will  deceive  almost 
any  one  who  is  not  familiar  with  the  experiment. 


364 


Winter. 


A  picture  of  a  wagon,  with  wheels  made  Hke  the  disks  of  the 
paradoxical  whirligig,  may  be  made,  and  the  wheels  will  have  all 
the  appearance  of  revolving  when  a  wabbling  motion  is  imparted 
to  the  picture.  There  are  many  curious  experiments  that  can 
be  tried  in  this  line — spirals  may  be  made  to  twist  around  ;  pic- 
tured machinery  may  be  given  the  appearance  of  actual  moving 
wheels,  etc.  The  philosophy  of  all  this  is  best  explained  in  the 
description  of  the  next  whirligig. 

The  Phantasmoscope,  or  Magic  Wheel. 

The  phantasmoscope,  or  magic  wheel,  is  comparatively  sim- 
ple, consisting,  as  may  be  seen"  by  the  accompanying  illustra- 
tion, of  a  disk  of  any  diameter  revolving  upon  a  pin  in  the  cen- 
tre. Figures  in  different  poses  of  arrested  action  are  painted 
or  pasted  upon  the  one  side  ;  under  each  figure  is  an  oblong 
opening  or  slot.  Much  amusement  can  be  derived  from  this 
old  and  simple  toy.  We  herewith  give  one  with  the  correct 
positions  of  a  horse  trotting  a  2:40  gait,  drawn  in  silhouette 
upon  the  outer  margin  of  the  wheel. 

Make  a  careful  tracing  of  the  illustration  (Fig.  231)  with  a 
lead-pencil  upon  tracing-paper  ;  reverse  the  tracing-paper  upon 
a  piece  of  card-board  so  that  the  side  with  the  pencil-markings 
on  it  will  be  next  to  the  card-board  ;  after  which  fasten  both 
card-board  and  paper  to  a  drawing-board  or  table-top  with  tacks, 
so  that  neither  tracing  nor  card-board  can  slip.  With  the  point 
of  a  hard  pencil,  a  slate-pencil  or  any  similar  instrument,  go 
carefully  over  each  line  of  the  tracing  as  seen  through  the  tra- 
cing-paper ;  be  careful  not  to  omit  a  single  mark  ;  it  is  very  pro- 
voking to  discover,  after  removing  the  tracing-paper,  that  part 
of  the  drawing  is  wanting  ;  but  if  you  have  been  careful,  when 
the  tacks  are  removed  you  will  find  the  picture  neatly  trans- 
ferred on  the  card-board.    Go. carefully  over  each  Hne  on  the 


How  to  Make  Various  IVhirligigs.  365 


card-board  with  a  pen  and  black  ink,  and  fill  in  the  outlines  of 
each  picture  with  ink,  making  a  silhouette  of  the  figures 

Cut  the  phantasmoscope,  or  magic  disk,  out,  following  the 


Fig.  231.— The  Magic  Wheel. 


outer  crcle  with  the  scissors,  and  under  each  figure,  where  the 
oblong  places  are  drawn,  cut  a  corresponding  opening  through 
the  pasteboard.  Fasten  the  wheel  to  a  stick  or  handle  by 
means  of  a  pin  at  its  centre,  on  which  it  can  freely  turn 


366 


Winter, 


If  a  larger  machine  be  wanted,  the  illustration  here  given 
may  be  enlarged  by  the  process  described  on  page  250.  To 
use  the  magic  wheel,  stand  in  front  of  a  mirror,  as  shown  m 
the  small  illustration ;  hold  the  disk  before  the  eyes  ;  look 
through  the  slots  under  the  figures,  and  turn  the  wheel  rapidly. 
The  horses'  legs  will  commence  to  move  as  in  life,  and  as  each 
successive  position  drawn  upon  the  phantasmoscope  is  the  exact 

one  taken  by  a  trotting  horse, 
the  horses  in  the  mirror  will 
all  appear  to  be  in  actual  mo- 
tion, on  a  fast  trot.     If  the 
eye  is  directed  over  the  mar- 
gin of  the  paste-board  disk, 
an  indistinct  blur  is  all  that  is 
seen.    The  principle  is  gener- 
ally well  known  and  easily  ex- 
plained.   It  pertains  to  the 
phenomenon   known  as  the 
persistence  of  vision.  When 
the  eye  is  directed  through  the 
slot,  the  figure  of  a  horse  is  seen  for  an  instant  as  the  open- 
ing'passes  the  eye,  and  the  impression  is  retained  after  the 
object  is  shut  off  by  the  intervening  portion  of  the  board  be- 
tween the  slots  until  another  horse  appears  through  the  succeed- 
ing opening,  when  an  additional  impression  is  made,  the  same 
as  the  preceding  impression,  except  a  slight  change  in  the  posi- 
tion of  the  legs.  These  impressions  follow  each  other  so  rapidly 
that  they  produce  upon  the  retina  of  the  eye  the  effect  of  a  con- 
tinuous image  of  the  horses,  in  which  the  limbs,  replaced  by  a 
succession  of  positions,  present  the  appearance  of  a  file  of 
horses  in  actual  motion. 

The  instantaneous  photographs  taken  nowadays  of  people, 
horses,  and  other  animals  in  motion,  opens  a  new  field  for  inves- 


Making  the  Horses  Trot. 


How  to  Make  Various  IVhirligigs.  367 

tigation,  and  one  which,  with  the  aid  of  the  simple  toy  described 
will  be  found  very  entertaining  as  well  as  instructive 

Mr.  Muybridge-s  celebrated  photographs  of  animals  in  mo- 
tion can  all  be  adapted  by  smart  boys  to  home-made  phan- 
tasmoscopes,  and  it  will  probably  not  be  long  before  the  won- 
derful photographs  of  birds  and  bats  on  the  wing,  taken  by  E 

■  J.  Marcy  with  his  revolving  photographic  gun,  will  be  within 
reach  of  the  public.  Then  with  the  magic  disk  the  reader  can 
make  birds  fly,  horses  trot,  men  ride  bicycles,  and  reproduce 
every  movement  as  correct  as  in  nature. 

For  young  scientists  these  beautiful  experiments  will  be 

tound  very  entertaining. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

THE  UNIVERSE  IN  A  CARD-BOX. 

A  JOVIAL-LOOKING  GOm- 
mercial  traveller  once  won  a 
wager  from  the  landlord  of  a 
certain  Detroit  hotel  by  mak- 
ing over  a  hundred  rings  with 
one  mouthful  of  smoke.  The 
writer  was  sitting  in  the  hotel 
office  at  the  time,  and  becom- 
ing interested  in  the  conver- 
sation, watched  to  see  how 
the  trick  was  done.  Taking 
some  cards  from  his  card-case, 
the  young  man  proceeded  to 
bend  up  the  edges  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  centre  part 
of  each  formed  a  perfect 
square.  Six  cards  he  folded 
in  this  manner  ;  then,  after  fishing  in  his  pockets  for  some  time,  ■ 
he  produced  a  dime  and  a  lead-pencil.  Placing  the  ten-cent 
piece  upon  the  centre  of  one  card,  he  made  a  ring  with  the  lead- 
pencil  by  following  the  edges  of  the  coin.  Opening  a  pocket- 
knife  at  the  file  blade,  with  the  point  he  cut  a  round  hole  in  the 
card,  following  the  circle  made  by  the  pencil.  He  then  put  the 
cards  together,  in  the  form  of  a  light  but  strong  box  (Figs.  232, 
233,  234,  and  235),  and  taking  a  long  pull  at  a  cigar  which  was 


Smoke-Rings. 


The  Universe  in  a  Card-Box.  369 


between  his  lips,  he  filled  his  cheeks,  and  blew  the  smoke  into 

the  paper  box.    By  this  time  all  the  idlers  in  the  office  had 

collected  around  the  smoker,  who,  with  a 

triumphant  smile  upon  his  face,  com- 
menced to  tap  the  sides  of  the  box  with 

his  lead-pencil.    At  each  tap  a  tiny  but 

perfect  and  beautiful  ring  of  smoke  shot 

into  the  air — one  hundred  and  ten  were 

counted  before  the  smoke  was  exhausted. 

Fig.  236  shows  how  similar  rings  can  be 

made  with  a  lamp-chimney  in  which  a 

card  disk  with  a  hole  in  it  has  been  placed  ; 

a  piece  of  paper  or  membrane  fastened 
over  the  other  end  serves  for  a  vibrating 
surface,  which,  when  struck  with  the 
thumb,  forces  out  the  little  rings  of  smoke. 

The  reader  must  not  for  a  moment 
suppose  that  it  is  necessary  to  use  tobacco 
smoke  to  perform  this  beautiful  experi- 
ment ;  any  other  smoke  will  answer  just 
as  well  to  make  the  vortex  rings,"  as 
they  are  scientifically  called.  If  after  dip- 
ping a  paint-brush  into  india  ink,  or  any 
water-color  paint,  you  gently  insert  the 
tip  of  the  brush  into  a  glass  of  clear 
water,  you  will  see  the  pigment  fall  from 
'the  end  of  the  brush,  and,  gradually 
'sinking  to  the  bottom,  form  rings  exactly 
similar  to  the  circles  of  smoke  described. 

The  rings  made  by  skipping  a  flat 
stone  over  the  water  are  but  another  ex- 
ample of  the  vortex,  and  the  jolly  com- 
mercial traveller,  when  he  was  exhibiting  the  httle  paper  box  and 
24 


Fig.  234. 


Fig.  235. 
How  to  make  a  Card-box. 


370 


Winter. 


smoke-rings  to  the  laughing  crowd  of  fellow-travellers  in  the 
hotel  office,  was  standing  upon  the  threshold  of  a  mighty  mys- 
tery, experimenting  with  laws,  and  showing  the  action  of  the 

same  forces  that  are  supposed  to  have 
produced  the  wonderful  rings  around 
Saturn  !  Indeed,  it  is  asserted  that 
the  broad,  misty  band  of  light  which 
we  see  at  night  stretched  across  the 
heavens,  and  known  to  every  boy  as 
the  milky-way,  is  nothing  more  nor 
less  than  a  gigantic  vortex  ring,  com- 
posed of  millions  of  heavenly  atoms. 
Some  very  learned  men  think  that  the 
secret  of  the  whole  universe,  the  origin 
of  gravitation  and  electricity,  are  all 
locked  up  in  the  mystery  which  con- 
trols the  formation  and  motion  of  a 
simple  smoke-ring. 

As  Adrien  Guebhard  wisely  re- 
marks, in  an  interesting  article  upon  this  same  subject,  Noth- 
ing is  vulgar  to  one  who  knows  how  to  see,  and  nothing  in- 
different to  one  who  knows  how  to  observe." 


Fig.  236. — T, amp-Chimney 
Smoke-Box. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 


LIFE  INSTILLED  INTO  PAPER  PUPPETS,  AND 
MATCHES  MADE  OF  HUMAN  FINGERS. 

Many  strange  and  unaccountable  occurrences  are  attributed 
by  ignorant  people  to  animal  magnetism,"  some  even  going 
to  such  an  extreme  as  to  refuse  to  shake  hands  with  other  per- 
sons for  fear  of  parting  with  some  of  their  precious  magnetic 
properties.  Where  there  is  much  smoke  there  must  be  some 
fire,  as  the  old  adage  goes,  and  although  the  marvellous  stories 
current  in  a  certain  class  of  literature  are  wholly  untrue,  ani- 
mal electricity  undoubtedly  exists.  All  boys  who  use  a  comb 
to  smooth  out  their  tangled  locks  upon  a  cold  winter  morning, 
no  doubt  hear  and  wonder  at  the  crackling  of  the  electricity  as 
the  comb  passes  through  their  hair.  Many  of  my  readers  have 
probably  tormented  poor  puss  by  holding  her  in  a  dark  closet, 
and  watching  the  sparks  fly  from  her  fur  as,  with  a  pitiless  hand, 
it  was  briskly  rubbed  the  wrong  way  until  a  severe  scratch  or  bite 
from  the  cat  warned  them  that  she  took  no  interest  in  such 
scientific  experiments.  A  less  cruel  and  more  entertaining  ex- 
periment is  to  cut  out  a  lot  of  Httle  paper  figures,  and  the  next 
cold  day,  when  your  hair  begins  to  snap  and  stand  on  end  in 
its  effort  to  follow  the  electrified  comb,  hold  the  comb  over  the 
figures ;  the  little  puppets  will  immediately  appear  to  be  en- 
dowed with  hfe  and  commence  to  jump  and  dance,  or  stick  to 
each  other  and  to  the  comb  (Fig  237),  as  if  fastened  by  glue. 


372 


Winter. 


Often  one  little  figure  will  stand  on  his  head,  and  another,  fix- 
ing himself  by  one  hand,  hold  his  tiny  form  upright  in  a  most 
comical  manner  ;  sometimes  they  will  form  themselves  into  long 
strings  and  go  through  all  manner  of  queer  and  seemingly  in- 
telligent move- 
ments. The  same 
result  can  be  pro- 
duced by  rub- 
bing a  piece  of 
gutta-percha 
smartly  upon  a 
piece  of  woollen 
cloth,  and  then 
holding  it  over 
the  paper  pup- 
pets. When  one  of  those  in- 
tensely cold  waves  from  the 
North  strikes  the  country  and 
frightens  the  mercury  in  the 
thermometers,  until  it  retreats 
down  to  the  very  bottom  of  its 
glass  tube,  electricity  is  often 
so  easily  generated  that  I  have 
known  persons  to  light  a  gas- 
jet  by  simply  applying  the  ends 
of  their  fingers  to  the  burners. 
A  certain  professor,  well  known  to  the  public,  was  so  startled 
at  seeing  the  gas  blaze  up  upon  touching  the  burner  with  his 
finger,  that  he  dropped  into  a  sitting  posture  upon  the  floor, 
and  there,  with  his  feet  spread  apart,  and  his  eyes  and  mouth 
open,  he  presented  a  perfect  picture  of  astonishment  and 
wonder. 


Fig,  237. 


Paper  Puppets  and  Matches. 


To  Light  the  Gas  with  your  Finger, 

turn  it  on  without  applying  a  light,  walk  around  the  room,  slid- 
ing your  feet  over  the  carpet,  until  you  again  reach  the  burner, 
touch  the  tip  of  the  burner  and  instantly  the  light  will  blaze 
up  as  if  by  magic. 

From  what  has  been  already  said,  the  reader  will  under- 
stand that  the  gas-jet  experiment  is  only  successful  tinder  pecu- 
liar conditions  of  the  atmosphere.  Do  not  try  to  turn  on  the 
gas  with  one  hand  and  light  it  with  the  other,  for  as  soon  as 
the  first  hand  touches  the  metal  key  the  electricity  is  expended, 
and  there  is  none  left  in  the  other  hand  to  ignite  the  gas.  Turn 
the  gas  on  first,  walk  around  the  room  in  the  manner  described, 
and  touch  nothing  with  your  hand  before  it  is  applied  to  the 
burner. 

There  are  many  other  experiments  that  may  be  tried  by 
boys  interested  in  this  subject,  but  as  they  necessitate  more  or 
less  compHcated  and  expensive  instruments  they  are  omitted, 
it  being  the  object  of  this  book  to  describe  only  such  things  as 
can  be  manufactured  by  the  boys  themselves. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


HOME-MADE   MASQUERADE    AND  THEATRICAL 
COSTUMES. 

The  White  Man  of  the  Desert. 

In  1876  quite  a  large 
party  were  returning  from 
New  Orleans  to  St.  Louis 
on  board  the  largest  of  Mis- 
sissippi steamers.  E  very- 
night  was  devoted  to  merri- 
ment, in  which  all  joined, 
passengers  and  officers. 
One  morning,  large  posters, 
made  with  colored  chalk  on 
brown  paper,  and  hung  at 
both  ends  of  the  cabin, 
announced  a  grand  masque- 
rade as  the  programme  for 
the  evening. 

As  a  rule,  masquerade 
costumes  are  not  to  be  found 
aboard  Mississippi  River 
steamers,  yet,  that  evening, 
when  the  band  struck  up  a  march,  every  stateroom  door  opened, 
and  from  each  doorway  issued  some  queer  or  fantastic  figure. 
One  costume  in  particular  was  so  simple,  and  yet  so  complete, 
as  to  be  noteworthy.    A  boy  had  taken  two  sheets  from  his 


Home-made  Masquerade  Costtmies. 


berth,  and,  by  wrapping  one  around  each  leg,  fastening  them  at 
the  ankles  with  strings  and  at  the  waist  with  a  shawl-strap, 
made  quite  a  presentable  pair  of  Turkish  pants.  The  shawl- 
strap,  worn  with  the  handle  in  front,  had  the  appearance  of  an 
odd-looking  double  belt ;  a  pair  of  white  stockings,  drawn  over 
a  pair  of  slippers  and  the  bottom  of  the  pants,  answered  for 
white  boots  ;  his  shirt  served  as  a  white  waist.  A  sheet  hang- 
ing  from  his  shoulders,  after  the  manner  of  a  cape  or  shawl, 
combined,  with  a  turban  made  of  a  towel,  to  give  a  decided 
Arab  look.  The  boy's  face  and  hair  had  been  made  snowy 
white  by  an  application  of  flour. 

The  disguise  was  complete,  and  the  costume  pronounced 
by  all  to  be  the  very  best  in  the  cabin.  In  a  similar  manner 
many  characters  may  be  personated,  and  the  costume  made  up 
of  such  material  as  can  be  found  about  home. 

Many  proposed  tableaux,  masquerade,  or  parlor  play  is 
abandoned  because  the  costumes  necessary  are  either  unattain- 
able or  altogether  too  expensive. 

There  is  "lots  of  fun"  to  be  had  at  entertainments  of  this 
kind  and  for  fear  that  my  reader  might  miss  some  such  oppor- 
tunity to  have  a  "  good  time,"  this  chapter  is  devoted  to  de- 
scribing two  or  three  costumes,  and  showing  how  first-class 
character  dresses  can  be  made  without  an  expenditure  of 
money. 

"The  Fourteenth  Century  Young  Man" 

can  be  clothed  with  modern  garments  altered  to  suit  the  occa- 
sion. Tights  are  necessary,  and  may  be  made  of  an  ordinary 
suit  of  knit  underclothes  (Fig.  238)  by  the  addition  of  a  little 
trimming  and  a  pair  of  trunks  to  cover  the  top  part  of  the 
drawers.  But  let  us  commence  at  the  top  of  the  man  and  work 
down,  describing  each  article  of  dress  in  the  order  in  which  it 
comes. 


376 


PFinter. 


The  Mediaeval  Hat. 

Soak  an  old  felt  hat  thorough- 
ly in  hot  water  ;  put  it  over  the 
top  of  some  blunt-ended  object, 
a   bed-post,  for   instance,  and, 


Fig.   238.— Fourteenth  Century 
Costume,  Untrimmed 


Fig.  239.— Stretching  the  Hat.  Fig.  240,— The  Mediaeval  Hat. 

grasping  the  brim  with  both  hands,  pull  down  steadily  and  firm- 
ly until  the  crown  becomes  elongated  to  the  proportions  of  the 


Home-made  Masquerade  Costumes.  377 


ones  belonging  to  the  hats  worn  by  the  clowns  in  the  circuses 
(Fig.  239).  In  stretching  the  hat  be  very  careful  not  to  tear 
the  felt.  Turn  the  brim  up  in  the  back  and  pull  it  down  in 
front. 

Fasten  a  long  feather  of  any  kind,  a  chicken  or  turkey 
feather  will  answer,  to  the  back  of  the  hat,  and  let  the  plume 
droop  over  the  front,  as  shown  by  Fig.  240. 

The  Wig. 

To  make  this  you  will  probably  have  to  ask  your  mother's 
or  sister's  assistance.  Induce  one  of  them  to  make  a  cloth 
skull-cap  of  the  shape  shown  by  Fig.  241.     Cover,  and  sew  to 


Fig.  241.— Skull-    Fig.  242.— Spanish      Fig.  243.— Excelsior       Fig.  244.— White 
Cap.  Moss  Wig.  Wig.  Cotton  Wig. 


this  cap  Spanish  moss  or  "  curled  horse-hair,"  such  as  is  used 
by  upholsterers  (Fig.  242).  Cotton  or  excelsior  will  make  very 
respectable  wigs  when  nicely  arranged  and  sewed  on  to  neatly 
fitting  skull-caps  (Figs.  243  and  244). 

Eyebrows,  Moustache,  and  Beard 

can  be  made  of  white  or  black  cotton,  fastened  to  the  face  with 
a  little  mucilage. 

The  Doublet, 

to  be  in  keeping  with  the  mediaeval  hat,  must  fit  quite  closely, 
and  an  ordinary  knit  undershirt  is  just  the  thing,  especially  if 


378 


Wmter, 


it  be  a  bright-colored  garment.  At  the  neck  fasten  a  broad 
white  collar,  a  piece  of  lace  or  a  ruff,  borrowed  for  the  occa- 
sion from  some  lady  friend.  From 
the  same  source  procure  a  large  bow 
of  ribbons  to  fasten  at  the  throat  and 
conceal  the  band  and  button  on  the 
front  of  the  shirt.  If  ruffs  or  lace 
cuffs  be  added  to  the  sleeves,  the 
doublet  will  be  complete,  and  the 
shirt  so  disguised  that  no  one  will  sus- 
pect its  true  character  (see  Fig.  245). 


Fig.  245.— The  Doublet. 


Trunks. 

Take  any  pair  of  old  pants  and 
cut  them  off  at  the  knees  ;  if  they  are  a  trifle  too  large  for  you, 
they  will  make  all  the  better  trunks. 

Let  the  same  lady  friend  that  made  the  skull-cap,  hem  the 
bottom  of  the  pants.  The  hem  should  be  strong  enough  to 
hold  strings  within  for  drawing  the  bottoms  tightly  around  the 
limbs  (Fig.  246). 

If  you  do  not  wish  to  impose  too  much  upon  the  good  na- 


Fig.  246.— Trunks.  FiG.  247.— Slashed  Trunks. 

ture  of  your  lady  friends,  you  may  put  the  strings  in  the  pants 
yourself  after  the  manner  shown  by  Fig.  247. 


Home-made  Masquerade  Costumes. 


Half  a  dozen  slashes  cut  in  the  trunks  through  which  some 
bright-colored  cloth  is  allowed  to  show,  adds  greatly  to  the 
general  appearance. 

Tights. 

A  pair  of  knit  drawers  arranged  with  straps  that  pull  the 
bottoms  of  the  drawers  over  the  insteps  and  heels  of  the  feet, 
make  as  good  a  pair  of  tights  when  worn  with  trunks 
as  any  that  can  be  rented  from  the  costumer,  and  they 
are  much  more  pleasant  to  wear  than  the  often  un- 
cleanly hired  garments  (Fig.  248). 

To  Dress. 

First  put  on  your  stockings  ;  then  pull  on  the  tights, 
allowing  the  straps  to  fit  under  the  foot.    Next  put 
on  the  trunks,  and  pull  the  bottom  of  the  legs  of  the 
latter  garment  up  as  high  as  possible,  draw  the  strings  Leg  with 
and  tie  them  tightly,  this  will  make  the  trunks  puff  '^'s'^*^- 
out  and  spread  open  the  slashes.    Next  put  on  the  doublet, 
and  allow  it  to  fall  outside  the  trunks.    Slippers  or  low  shoes 
should  be  worn. 

A  friend  and  myself  once  made  a  couple  of  suits  like  the 
one  just  described,  using  red  knit  underclothes  for  tights  and 
white  flannel  pants  slashed  with  red  for  trunks.  Red-covered 
shoes  and  red  feathers  in  our  hats  completed  the  costumes, 
which  were  exactly  alike  in  every  particular.  So  closely  did 
we  resemble  each  other  when  masked  and  dressed  in  these 
home-made  garments,  that  our  most  intimate  friends  were  una- 
ble to  distinguish  one  from  the  other. 

The  Baby 

is  a  mirth-provoking  disguise  when  well  personated.  To 
transform  yourself  into  a  baby,  remove  your  coat  and  vest, 


38o 


IVinter. 


and,  after  procuring  two  long  white  skirts,  fasten  one  at  your 
waist,  and  let  the  waist-band  of  the  other  come  just  under  your 

arms,  so  that  this  skirt  will  fall 
over  the  first  one  adjusted.  Let 
some  one  tuck  up  your  shirt- 
sleeves to  the  shoulder,  and  run 
ribbons  through  them  and  out  at 
the  neck,  tying  the  ends  in  bows 
at  the  shoulders.  To  do  this,  the 
shirt  must  be  opened  at  the  throat 
and  the  collar-band  tucked  under; 
this  makes  a  low  neck  and  short 
sleeves.  A  broad  sash  passed 
around  under  the  arms  and  tied 
in  a  large  bow-knot  looks  very 
baby-like  (Fig.  249).  The  head 
should  be  covered  with  a  hood. 
The  latter  can  be  made  of  a  piece  of  white  cloth,  or  a  large 
handkerchief  folded  in  the  following  manner  : 

How^  to  Make  a  Handkerchief  Hood. 

Fig.  250  represents  the  handkerchief.  Take  the  corners  A 
and  B  and  fold  them  under,  as  shown  by  Fig.  251.  Allowing 
the  handkerchief  to  rest  flat  upon  a  table,  turn  the  corners  made 
by  the  fold  over  as  you  would  in  making  a  paper  hat ;  this  will 
give  you  Fig.  252.  Again  proceed  as  you  would  in  manufac- 
turing a  paper  hat,  and  turn  the  bottom  C  D  up  over  A  B  ; 
roll  this  bottom  piece  up  and  over  about  three  times  (Fig.  253). 
Pick  up  the  handkerchief  by  the  ends  C  and  D,  and  you  will 
have  Fig.  254,  a  pretty  and  complete  baby-hood,  which,  when 
it  is  put  on  the  head,  and  the  ends  C  and  D  tied  under  the  chin, 
will  conceal  the  hair,  and  besides  adding  to  the  baby  look,  it 
will  help  to  disguise  the  person  wearing  it.  ^ 


Home-made  Masquerade  Costumes.  381 


Thus,  I  might  go  on  until  next  year,  teUing  how  to  make 
all  manner  of  costumes  ;  but  I  have  sufficient  confidence  in  boys 
to  beheve  that,  as  a  rule,  they  only  need  a  hint  or  two  to  start 
them  in  any  project,  and  that  their  own  ingenuity  will  carry 
them  through.    So  far  I  have  carried  my  descriptions  of  boy- 


Fig.  250. 


Fig.  251. 


Fig.  252. 


3 


Fig.  253. 


Fig.  254. 


ish  pastimes  through  the  seasons,  and  I  now  halt  at  the  recur- 
rence of  spring  ;  not,  believe  me,  for  lack  of  matter,  for  sug- 
gestion breeds  suggestion,  until  there  seems  to  be  no  end,  and 
my  greatest  difficulty  has  been  to  avoid  devoting  too  great  a 
space  to  any  one  topic. 

No  boy  need' hope  to  achieve  success  as  a  manufacturer  of 
any  of  the  objects  described  in  this  book  unless  he  carefully 
reads  the  description  and  masters  the  details.  Remember  that 
even  in  sports  and  plays  no  slipshod,  careless,  and  partial  effort 
can  avoid  failure.  As  a  rule,  the  best  and  most  earnest  worker 
is  the  HveHest  and  heartiest  companion. 

It  is  not  without  regret  that  the  author  bids  farewell ;  and 


382 


Wmter. 


if  the  reader  of  this  book  derive  half  the  enjoyment  from  the 
perusal  that  the  author  has  from  the  writing,  then  the  book  is 
not  a  failure  ;  and  if  what  little  that  has  been  said  encourage 
and  help  any  boys — be  they  few  or  many — to  appreciate, 
love,  and  enter  into  all  sensible  sports,  as  every  true  American 
boy  should,  then  has  this  book  fulfilled  its  mission. 


INDEX. 


A 

Aquarium,  the,  44-53  ;  fresh-water 
aquariums,  44  ;  badly  constructed 
aquariums,  45  ;  the  author's  first 
aquarium,  46  ;  how  to  make  aqua- 
riums, 48-51  ;  plants  for  the 
aquarium,  49  ;  land  and  water 
aquariums,  50  ;  fountain  for  aqua- 
rium, 51  ;  the  author's  aquarium, 
51;  stocking  the  aquarium,  53; 
food,  53  ;  aquarium  cement,  57  ; 
see  also  Aquatic  Plants.  Marine 
Aquariums,  61-65  '>  improve- 
ments on  common  tank,  61  ;  ce- 
ment, 62  ;  arrangement  of  marine 
aquarium,  62  ;  collecting  for  ma- 
rine aquarium,  66-68 ;  importance 
of  healthy  specimens,  67 ;  the 
marine  worm  {Poly cirrus  exim- 
ius),6j;  barnacles,  67;  sketch- 
ing aquariums,  241. 

American  Canoeist,  The,  118. 

Amusei-nents  for  in-doors,  305  ; 
games:  bric-a-brac,  or  the  tourist's 
curiosities,  305  ;  mind-reading, 
309;  the  Literary  Sketch  Club, 
310;  the  "Boy's  Own  Phunny- 


graph,"  314;  puppet-shows,  322  ; 
magic  lanterns,  346;  a  home-made 
kaleidoscope,  347 ;  fortune-teller's 
box,  348;  the  magic  cask,  351  ; 
dancing  fairies,  354  ;  handkerchief 
tricks,  354  ;  the  potato  mill,  360  ; 
the  saw-mill,  ib.;  whirligigs,  361  ; 
the  magic  wheel,  365  ;  the  universe 
in  a  card-box,  368  ;  electrical  ex- 
periments, 371  ;  masquerades,  374. 

Animal  magnetism,  371. 

Aquatic  plants  ;  see  Plants. 

Arsenical  soap  for  preserving  stuffed 
birds,  235  ;  how  to  make,  239 ; 
Wallace's  receipt,  ib. 

Artist,  every  boy  his  own  decorative, 
248-253;  shadow  pictures,  248; 
photographic  paper,  250  ;  how  to 
enlarge  or  reduce  drawings  by 
squares,  ib. 

B 

Balloons,  paper,  136  ;  unsafe  shapes, 
ib.  ;  safe  models,  137;  how  to 
build  hot-air  balloons,  138-142  ; 
wick  preferable  to  sponge  for  fire- 


384 


Index. 


ball,  140;  sending  up  the  balloons, 
141  ;  fireworks  for,  144 ;  see 
Parachutes. 

Barnacles  for  aquariums,  67. 

Bends  and  hitches  ;  see  Knots. 

Bird-bolas,  196  ;  for  hunting,  197  ; 
for  target  practice,  ib. 

Birds'  eggs,  how  to  collect  and  pre- 
serve, 167  ;  the  right  and  wrong  of 
egg-collecting,  ib.  ;  the  egg-drill 
and  blow-pipe,  168  ;  blown  eggs, 
ib. ;  drying,  ib.  ;  the  egg  cabinet, 
169;  cataloguing,  ib. 

Birds,  how  to  stuff;  see  Taxidermy. 

Bird-nesting,  167  ;  wanton  destruc- 
tion of  nests,  ib.  ;  the  yellowbird's 
two-story  nest,  169;  meadow  wren's 
nest,  170  ;  preserving  nests,  ib. 

Bird  singers,  161  ;  the  block  singer, 
ib. 

Birds,  wild,  how  to  rear,  171-187; 
learn  habits  when  wild,  ib.  ;  food, 
ib.  ;  squabs,  172;  cow  blackbird, 
ib.  ;  wrens,  sparrows,  and  finches, 
173  ;  bobolinks,  ib.  ;  catbirds,  174  ; 
robins,  ib.  ;  thrushes,  175  ;  blue- 
birds, 1 76  ;  summer  yellowbird,  ib. ; 
bluejay,  177;  humming-birds,  ib.; 
crows,  180;  hawks,  181;  owls, 
184  ;  sea  birds,  ib.  ;  strange  do- 
mestic fowls,  186. 

Blackwall  hitch,  the,  75. 

Blow-guns  used  by  the  Dyaks  of 
Borneo,  200 ;  how  to  make  blow- 
guns,  201  ;  Indian  blow-guns,  202. 

Blow-pipes,  168. 

Bluebirds,  how  to  rear,  176 ;  as  pets, 
ib. 

Bluejays,  how  to  rear,  177. 


Boats,  home-made,  95-117  ;  the  au- 
thor's experiences,  96  ;  the  cata- 
maran, 96  ;  Man-Friday,  97  ;  the 
Crusoe  raft,  97 ;  the  scow,  loi  ; 
fiat-boats,  105  ;  the  Yankee 
Pine,"  113;  see  also  Ice-Boats. 

Boat-rigging,  121;  the  fore-and- 
aft "  rig,  ib.;  a  simple  rig,  122; 
the  sails,  123  ;  the  spars,  ib.;  leg- 
of-mutton  rig,  124  ;  for  the  canoe- 
ist, ib.;  its  advantages,  125  ;  the 
"  latteen  "  rig,  126;  the  cat  rig, 

127  ;  its  general  use,  127  ;  "jib- 
ing," 127  ;  sailmaking,  128  ;  hints 
to  beginners,  ib. 

Boat-sailing,  1 18-13 1  5  ^^st  prin- 
ciples, 119  ;  experiments,  120-129; 
sailing  before  the  wind,  120  ;  to 
windward,  121;  tacking,  ib.;  going 
about,  122  ;  hints  for  beginners, 

128  ;  reefing,  129  ;  the  lee-board, 
ib.;  the  "  Dandy,"  130  ;  to  make 
a  landing,  130. 

Bobolinks,  how  to  rear,  173. 
Boomerangs,  190;  how  to  make,  191; 

to  throw  a  boomerang,  192;  minia-- 

ture  boomerangs,  193. 
Boys'  books,  experience  with,  158. 
Bowline  knot,  75. 
Breeding-box  for  insects,  244. 
Bric-a-brac,  the  game  of,  305. 
Brown,  Captain  Thomas,  232. 
Bulldogs,  225  ;  bull-terriers,  ib. 
Butterflies,  how  to  preserve,  243. 

c 

Camera  obscura,  home-made,  253. 
Camping  out,  148-160 ;    without  a 


Index. 


385 


tent,  148;  selecting  a  site,  150; 
the  rustic  cottage,  148  ;  frame- 
work of,  149;  thatching,  150; 
double  cottages,  152;  furniture  for: 
the  bed,  152;  rustic  chairs,  157; 
camp  tables,  1 58  ;  fireplace,  1 54  ; 
the  barrel  oven,  155;  the  stone 
stove,  1 56  ;  how  to  make  a  butter- 
knife,  etc.,  157;  hints  to  amateur 
campers,  159;  provisions,  ib.; 
shelter,  ib.;  slab  shanties,  160; 
choosing  companions,  ib. 

Cane  fife,  163. 

Caprellas,  94. 

Card-box,  the,  how  to  make,  368. 

Catamaran,  the  author's,  96. 

Catbird,  how  to  rear,  174;  stories 
about,  ib. 

Cat-rigged  boats,  127. 

Cement  for  aquarium,  57-62. 

Cha77iber^s  Journal  quoiQA,  178. 

Clams,  how  to  catch  fresh-water,  33. 

Clubs — the  Kite  Club,  27  ;  the  Liter- 
ary Sketch  Club,  310 

Cooking  in  the  camp,  155  ;  the  bar- 
rel oven,  ib. ;  the  stone  stove,  156; 
the  primitive  camp-fire  and  pot- 
hook, 157. 

Corn-stalk  fiddle,  how  to  make,  162. 

Costumes  for  masquerades,  374 ; 
white  man  of  the  desert,  ib.;  four- 
teenth century  young  man,  375  ; 
mediseval  hat,  376;  the  wig,  377; 
eyebrows,  moustache,  and  beard, 
ib.;  the  doublet,  ib.;  trunks,  378  ; 
tights,  379;  the  baby,  ib.;  hand- 
kerchief hoods,  380. 
Cow  blackbird,  169;  how  to  rear, 
172. 

25 


Crabs,  how  to  preserve,  247. 
Cross-bow,  the  elastic,  197. 
Crows,  180;  how  to  rear,  181  ;  the 
author's  crow     Billy,"  ib. 


D 

"  Dandy,"  or  steering  sail,  130. 
Deadfalls,  objections  to,  215  ;  for 
moles,  ib.;  for  squirrels,  216;  for 
minks  or  coons,  217. 
Desk,  how  to  make  a  folding,  no. 
Dogs,  223-231  ;  as  companions,  223  ; 
the  necessity  of  training,  ib.;  how 
to  choose  a  dog,  224  ;  the  quali- 
ties of  a  good  dog,  ib.;  trick  dogs, 
ib.;  the  poodle,  ib.;   the  Scotch 
terrier,   ib.;    Newfoundland,  ib.; 
the  Shepherd  dog,  225  ;  bulldogs, 
ib.;  bull-terriers  as  a  boy's  dog. 
ib.;  pointers  and  setters,  228;  pet 
dogs,  229  ;   their  tricks,  ib.;  the 
author's  dog  "  Monad,"  ib. 
Dog-training,  226-229  ;  strict  obedi- 
ence to  commands,  226  ;  the  use 
of  the   whip,   227  ;   patience  in 
training,  ib.;  teaching  the  pointer 
or  setter  to     stand,"  ib.;  to  "re- 
trieve," ib.;    ''to  heel,"  228;  to 
'' down  charge,"  ib.;  to  "  hi  on," 
ib.;  to  "  quarter,"  ib. 
Dredges,  86-91  ;  oyster  dredges,  87  ; 
collector's  dredges,  ib.;  bake-pan 
dredge,  89  ;  a  tin-pail  dredge,  91  ; 
hints  about  dredging,  ib. 
Drawing  from  shadows,  248  ;  how  to 
enlarge  and  reduce  by  squares. 


386 


Index, 


250 ;  how  to  make  camera  fof 
drawing,  252. 

E 

Eggs,  collecting  ;  see  Birds'  Eggs. 
Elder  guns  and  pistols,  203  ;  how  to 

make,  204. 
Electricity,  simple  experiments  with, 

371  ;  electrified  paper  puppets,  ib. 
Emerton's     Life  on  the  Sea  Shore," 

93- 

F 

Finches,  how  to  rear,  173. 
Fireworks  for  balloons,  144. 
Fish,  a  new  manner  of  preserving, 
239- 

Fishermen,  knots  for,  74. 

Fishing,  novel  modes  of:  the  bell- 
pole  apparatus,  28;  "jugging  for 
cats,"  29  ;  the  dancing  fisherman, 
31;  toy-boat  fishing,  32;  the 
''wooden  otter,"  33 ;  contrivance 
for  catching  frogs,  eels,  etc.,  35. 

Fish-spearing,  188  ;  how  to  make  a 
fish-spear,  ib. 

Fishing-tackle  :  suggestions  for  mak- 
ing the  rod,  36  ;  the  reel,  38  ;  the 
net,  39;  a  home-made  minnow 
bucket,  42  ;  the  fish  car,  112  ;  fish 
bait,  30,  42. 

Fishing  through  the  ice,  296  ;  au- 
tomatic fishing-tackle,  297  ;  smelt- 
fishing  and  smelt  fishers'  houses, 
ib.;  ''umbrella  smelt  tackle,"  299  ; 
spearing    shanty,    300 ;  snaring 


fish,  301  ;  spearing  fish,  302  ;  how 

to  build  a  fishing-house,  303. 
Flat-boats,  105  ;  how  to  build,  106  ; 

the  cabin,  107  ;  its  arrangement, 

107-110;  their  advantages.  III. 
Fortune-teller's  box,  the,  348  ;  how 

made,  349  ;  its  operation,  350. 
Fourth  of  July  balloons,  136. 
Furniture  for  camping  out,  152  ;  the 

bed,  ib. ;  rustic  chairs,  157  ;  camp 

table,  153. 

G 

Games  for  in-doors,  <»305  ;  bric-a- 
brac,  or  the  tourist's  curiosities, 
ib.;  mind-reading,  309. 

Gas,  how  to  light  with  the  finger, 

373- 

Gas  soap-bubbles,  133. 

Gibson,  Mr.  Lang,  170. 

Gibson,  W.  Hamilton,  200. 

Guns,  how  to  make  them  :  blow-guns, 
200  ;  squirt-guns,  202  ;  elder  guns, 
203  ;  spring  shot-guns,  205. 

H 

Hammer  (T.  F.),  article  on  winged 
skaters  by,  287. 

Hammock  hitches,  80. 

Handkerchief  tricks,  354 ;  the  hand- 
kerchief doll,  ib. ;  the  bather,  356  ; 
the  orator,  357;  handkerchief  hood, 
380. 

Hawks,  182  ;  how  to  tame,  ib.  ;  strap 
for  leg,  ib. ;  food,  183  ;  as  scare- 


Index. 


387 


crows,  ib.  ;  as  decoys,  ib.  ;  as  pets, 
184. 

Hemingray,  Mr.  Ralph,  245. 

Herring  gulls,  stories  about,  185. 

Hitches,  how  made  :  Blackwall 
hitch,"  75  ;  bale  hitch,  ib.  ;  sinker 
hitch,  77  ;  simple  hitch,  ib.  ;  double 
hitch,  ib. ;  half  hitch,  79  ;  timber 
hitch,  ib.  ;  close  hitch,  ib.  ;  ham- 
mock hitch,  80 ;  diagrams  show- 
ing hitches,  Figs  58,  59;  see 
Knots. 

Holder,  Mr.  Fred,  85. 

Hummer,  the,  166. 

Humming-birds,  how  to  tame,  177; 
stories  about,  178  ;  the  nests,  ib.  ; 
food,  179. 

Hunting,  home-made  apparatus  for, 
188  ;  the  fish  spear,  ib.  ;  torches 
and  jack-lights,  190 ;  the  boom- 
erang, 190  ;  whip-bow,  194  ;  throw- 
sticks,  195  ;  bird-bolas,  196  ;  elastic 
cross-bow,  197  ;  slings,  199 ;  blow- 
guns,  202. 


I 

Ice-boats,  281-285  ;  Tom  Thumb 
ice-yachts,"  ib.  ;  see  also  Skating 
with  Wings,  286. 

Insects,  mode  of  preserving,  242  ; 
the  mounting-board,  ib. ;  device  for 
pinning  insects,  243  ;  Morse's  in- 
sect box,  ib.  ;  the  Lawrence  breed- 
ing-box, 244  ;  spider  bottles,  245  ; 
to  make  insect  groups,  245. 

Instantaneous  photographs  adapted 
to  the  magic  wheel,  366. 


J 

Jack-lights,  how  to  make,  190. 
K 

Kaleidoscope,  a  home-made,  347. 

Kites  :  how  to  make  man  kite,  4  ; 
woman  kite,  9  ;  boy  kite,  1 1  ;  frog 
kite,  ib.;  butterfly  kite,  13;  king- 
crab  kite,  14;  fish  kite,  18;  star 
kite,  ib. ;  shield  kite,  ib.;  Chinese 
kite,  19;  Japanese  kite,  21; 
armed  kite,  24. 

Kite-time,  i. 

Kite  clubs  suggested,  27. 

Kite-cutters,  how  to  make,  26. 

Kite  warfare,  23  ;  armed  kites,  24. 

Knots,  the  art  of  tying,  71  ;  secure 
and  insecure  knots,  72  ;  definition 
of  a  ''bend,"  ib.  ;  a  ''hitch,"  ib;  ; 
the  single  fisherman's  knot,  73 ; 
double  fisherman's  half  knot,  ib. ; 
Blackwall  hitch,  75 ;  bow-line  knot, 
ib.  ;  cask  sling,  76  ;  anchor  bend, 
ib. ;  Flemish  knot,  ib.  ;  rope  knot, 
ib.  ;  simple  knot,  ib.  ;  double  knot, 
ib. ;  "  fire-escape  sling,"  77  ;  boat 
knot,  ib. ;  "  six-fold  "  knot,  ib. ;  loop 
knot,  ib.  ;  Dutch  double  knot,  68  ; 
running  knot,  ib. ;  twist  knot,  ib.  ; 
chain  knot  for  whip-lashes,  78  ; 
shroud  knot,  79 ;  "  lark-head  "  knot, 

.  80 ;  crossed  running  knot,  ib. ; 
sailor's  knot,  ib.  ;  weaver's  knot, 
81  ;  granny  knot,  ib.  ;  true  lover's 
knot,  82  ;  see  diagrams.  Figs.  57, 
58,  59  ;  see  also  Hitches. 


388 


Index. 


Knuckle  dabsters,"  made  from 
mole  skins,  213. 

L 

Lanterns  for  kites,  21  ;  for  balloons, 
144. 

Latteen  rig"  for  boats,  126. 
Lawrence,  Mr.  Albert,  breeding-box 

for  insects  invented  by,  244. 
Lee-board,  the,  129. 
'      Leg-of-mutton  rig"  for  boats,  124. 

Locust  singer,  the,  164. 
,  London  Fields  stories  from,  185. 

M 

Magic  cask,  the,  351. 
Magic  lantern,  345  ;  how  to  make, 
346. 

Magic  wheel,  or  the  phantasmoscope, 
364  ;  instructions  for  making,  ib. 
Man-Friday  "  boats,  how  to  build, 
96. 

Marcy's  (E.  J.)  photographic  gun, 
367. 

Marine  animals,  directions  for  pre- 
serving, 246;  the  star-fish,  ib.  ; 
crabs,  247  ;  lobsters,  ib.;  sea-ur- 
chins, ib. 

Masquerade  costumes,  374 ;  the 
baby,"  379. 

Mice,  traps  to  catch,  211. 

Mind-reading,  game  of,  309. 

Moles,  how  to  trap,  213  ;  figure  four 
trap,  213. 

Monad,"  the  author's  dog,  229. 


Morse's  insect  box,  243. 

Musical  instruments  :  home-made 
corn-stalk  fiddle,  162  ;  pumpkin- 
vine  fife,  163;  pumpkin-vine  flute, 
ib.;  cane  fife,  163;  voice  dis- 
guiser,  164;  locust  singer,  164; 
the  hummer,  165. 

Muybridge's  photographs  of  animals 
in  motion,  367. 

N 

Norton,  Charles  Ledyard,  118,  226. 
Newfoundland  dogs,  224. 

o 

Owls,  how  to  tame,  184  ;  to  stuff, 
233- 

P 

Paper  pitfalls  for  mice,  211. 

Parachutes  attached  to  balloons^ 
142 ;  odd  shapes  for,  143 ;  fire- 
works for,  144. 

Partridges,  snares  for,  217. 

Paste,  how  to  make,  7. 

Phantasmoscope,  the,  364. 

Photographic  paper,  250. 

Phunnygraph,  the  boy's  own,  314. 

Plants,  aquatic,  how  to  keep,  58  ; 
the  water-lily,  58  ;  cat-tails,  60. 

Pointers,  the  training  of,  228. 

Poodles  as  trick  dogs,  224. 

Portfolio  of  fish,  how  to  make,  240. 

Potato  mill,  the,  359. 


Index. 


389 


Prairie  chickens,  snares  for,  218. 
Pumpkin-vine  fife,  163  ;  flute,  ib. 
Puppets,  how  to  make,  326  ;  how  to 

work,  330  ;  life  instilled  into,  371. 
Puppet-shows,    322-333;    how  to 

make,  322  ;  the  stage,  323  ;  the 

scenery,  ib.;  scenery  for  the  play 
Puss-in-Boots,"  324;  how  to  work 

the  puppets,  330  ;  stage  effects, 

331  ;  to  make  a  magical  dance, 

332  ;  to  make  a  sea  scene,  332  ; 
*'  Puss  -  in  -  Boots  "   for  puppet- 


shows. 


334. 


97  ;  the 


Quail,  snares  for,  218. 


Rafts,    how  constructed 

Crusoe  raft,  98-101. 
Rats,  210;  the   origin  of  rats  in 

America,  ib.;    the  muskrat,  ib.; 

brown  rats,  ib.;  the  black  rat,  ib.; 

Norway  rats,  ib.;  a  simple  mode 

of  catching,  ib.;  the  paper  pitfall, 

211  ;  the  jug  trap,  212. 
"Reefing,"  128. 
Rennie,  Professor,  quoted,  167, 
Robins,  how  to  rear,  174. 


Sail-making  for  a  simple  rig,  123 

general  instructions,  128. 
Saw-mill  (or  buzzfer),  the,  360. 


Scenery  for  puppet-shows,  323. 
Scotch  terriers,  224. 
Scows,  how  made,  loi  ;  directions 

for  making,  101-105. 
Sea-birds,  184;  difficult  to  rear,  ib.; 

stories  about,  185. 
Sea-urchins  caught  by  the  tangle, 

94  ;  how  to  preserve,  247, 
Setters,  the  training  of,  228. 
Shadow  pictures,  248  ;  how  to  make 

them,  249. 
Shawl-strap,  how  to  make  substitute 

for,  76. 
Shepherd  dogs,  225. 
Sieves  for  dredging  outfits,  93. 

Sinker  hitches,"  76. 
Skating  with  wings,  286-295  5  Mr. 
Norton's  article,  "Every  Boy  his 
own  Ice-Boat,"  287  ;  Mr.  T.  F, 
Hammer's   article,    ib.;    how  to 
make  skating  sails  :  the  bat  wings, 
288  ;  Norton  rig,  ib.;  Norwegian 
rig,  290 ;  Danish  rig,  291  ;  English 
rig,  292  ;  Cape  Vincent  rig,  293 ;  a 
country  rig,  294. 
Slab  shanties,  160. 
Sleds,  275  ;  ammunition  sled,  260 ; 
barrel-stave  sled,  275  ;  chair  sled, 
ib.;  folding  chair  sled,  276;  the 
"toboggan,"  278. 
Slings,  elastic,  199. 
Smelt-fishing  in  winter,  297. 
Smoke-rings  from  the  card-box,  368. 
Smoke  soap-bubbles,  134. 
Snakes,  apparatus  for  catching,  189. 
Snares,  217  ;  for  partridges,  ib.;  set- 
line  snares,  218  ;  the  spring  snare, 
219  ;  snares  for  fishing,  301  ;  see 
Traps. 


390 


Index. 


Snowball  warfare,  257-268  ;  fort- 
building,  258  ;  how  to  make  an 
ammunition  sled,  260 ;  to  make 
shields,  261  ;  rules  of  the  game, 
262  ;  account  of  a  snow  battle, 
264  ;  how  to  bind  prisoners  with- 
out cords,  267  ;  company  rest," 
ib. 

Snow  houses,   269 ;    directions  for 

building,  270. 
Snow-shoes,  how  to  make,  279. 
Snow  statuary,  271-274;  the  snow 

pig,  272  ;  the  Frenchman,  273  ;  the 

owl,  ib. 

Soap-bubbles,  132  ;  the  best  soap  for, 
133  ;  gas-bubbles,  ib.;  Uncle  Cas- 
sius'  smoke-bubbles,  134 ;  every 
boy  his  own  bubble-pipe,  135. 

Soap-bubble  parties,  132. 

Spearing  fish  through  the  ice,  302  ; 
the  spearsman's  shanty,  300. 

Sparrows,  how  to  rear,  173. 

Spiders,  mode  of  preserving,  245. 

Splices,  how  made,  78. 

Spring  shot-guns,  205  ;  for  the  hunter, 
206. 

Squabs,  how  to  rear,  172. 
Squirrel  traps,  216. 
Squirt-guns,  202  ;  how  to  make,  203. 
Star-fish  caught  by  the  tangle,  94  ; 

how  to  preserve,  246. 
Summer  yellowbirds,  176. 

T 

Tangle,  its  use,  88-93  ;  how  to  make 
a  broomstick  tangle,  91  ;  old  chain 
tangle,  91. 


Taxidermy  for  boys,  232-247  ;  the 
value  of  a  knowledge  of  taxidermy 
to  the  naturalist,  232  ;  Captain 
Thomas  Brown  on  the  art  of  stuff- 
ing birds  and  mammals,  ib.;  how 
to  stuff  an  owl,  233  ;  skinning,  ib.; 
stuffing,  236  ;  arsenical  soap,  239 ; 
manner  of  preserving  fish,  ib.; 
preserving  insects,  242  ;  Morse  in- 
sect box,  243  ;  insect  groups,  245  ; 
how  to  preserve  marine  animals, 
'  246. 

Telescope,  the  water,  83. 
Tents  for  camping  out,  160. 
Thatched  houses  for  camping  out, 

148  ;  how  to  build,  150. 
Theatricals,  costumes  for,  274. 
Thompson,  Wyville,  94. 
Throw-sticks,  195  ;  how  to  make,  186. 
Thrush,    the   brown,    175  ;  wood 

thrush,  ib. 
Toboggan,  the,  278. 
Torches,  how  to  make,  190. 
Tourist's  Curiosities,  the  game  of, 

305. 

Trawl,  the,  88. 

Trolling-hook,  manner  of  attaching 
to  line,  75. 

Trappers,  hints  to  young,  217. 

Traps  and  trappings,  209-222  ;  pre- 
parations for  autumn,  210;  rat 
traps,  ib.;  mole  traps,  213  ;  dead- 
falls, 215  ;  toll-gate  trap,  ib.;  hen- 
coop trap,  221  ;  see  also  Snares. 

u 

Uncle  Cassius,  134. 

Universe,  the,  in  a  card-box,  368. 


Index, 


391 


V 

Voice  disguiser,  how  to  make,  164. 


W 

Walton,  Isaak,  83. 
Watch-guard,  how  to  make  of  horse- 
hair, 74-75. 
Water-telescope,  83. 
Whip-bows,  194. 
Whip-lashes,  how  to  make,  78. 
Whirligigs  and  how  to  make  them, 


361  ;  the  rainbow  whirligig,  ib.;  a 
paradoxical  whirligig,  363. 

Wick-balls  for  balloons,  140. 

Wigs  for  masquerades,  377. 

Winter-fishing,  296. 

Wood  thrush,  the,  275. 

Wrens,  how  to  rear,  173. 

Wood,  Rev.  J.  G.,  193,  225. 

Y 

Yankee  Pine,  the,  113  ;  how  to  build, 

113-117. 
Yellowoirds,  176. 
Yoke  lines,  for  steering,  129. 


1 


I 

J 


( 

(' 

( 
1 
I 


SCRIBNER'S  NEW  LIST 


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1882- 1883. 


I^etv  Ptiblications. 

The  American  Boy's  Handy  Book, 

The  Story  of  Siegfried, 

I'he  Boy's  Percy, 
1  iie  Cryptogram,  by  Jules  Verne, 

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Wi  h  a  series  of  superb  illustrations  by  Howard  Pyle.  One  volume,  square 
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cc 

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Stories  of  the  fairy  Tim-a-/ino-  the-  rn'or,.-   'r      •/  •         ,       ". <lpI.OO 

thank  Mr.  Stockton  for  the  delightful  entertainment heT..' r.v^  -/j^?^'^^^^^  children  will 

no  other  living  writer  who  so  delly  blends  t^heTuTeV'^tiSi^e^^^^^^^ 

New   and   Cheaper   Editions  of  Jules  Verne's 
J^opular  Stories, 

A  FLOATING  CITY, 

By  JULES  VERNE. 
With  numerous  illustrations.    One  volume,  extra  cloth,  gilt  ^2  oo 

HECTOR  SERVADAC; 

O^r,    Tlao    O^z-ooz-    of    ^  Ooz:o.ot. 
By  JULES  VERNE, 
^^ith  over  IOC  full-page  illustrations.    One  volume,  8vo,  elegantly  bound,  $2.00 

CHARLES  SCrWer^T^NS,  Publishers, 

743  &  745  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


Standard  Juvenile  Books 

PUBLISHED  BY 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS. 


SIDNEY  LANIER'S  EDITIONS  OF  THE 
OLD  LEGENDS. 

EA  CH  VOLUME  BE  A  UTIFULL  Y  IL  LUSTRA  TED. 


THE  BOY'S  MABINOGION. 

Being  the  Earliest  Welsh  Tales  of  King  Arthur  in  the  famous  Red  Book  oi": 

Hergest.    Edited  for  Boys,  with  an  Introduction  by  Sidney  Lanier.  WithL 

12  full-page  illustrations  by  Alfred  Fredericks.    One  volume,  crown  8vo, 

extra  cloth  $3.00 

"  Amid  all  the  strange  and  fanciful  scenery  of  these  stories,  character  and  the  ideals  of  char- 
acter remain  at  the  simplest  and  purest.  The  romantic  history  transpires  in  the  healthy  atmos- 
phere  of  the  open  air  on  the  green  earth  beneath  the  open  sky.  .  .  .  The  figures  of  Right,. 
Truth,  Justice,  Honor,  Purity,  Courage,  Reverence  for  Law  are  always  in  the  background  ;  and 
the  grand  passion  inspired  by  the  book  is  for  strength  to  do  well  and  nobly  in  the  world. "-^7"/4*: 
Independent.   

THE  BOY'S  KING  ARTHUR. 

Being  Sir  Thomas  Mallory's  History  of  King  Arthur  and  his  Knights  of  the  Round: 

Table.    Edited  for  Boys,  with  an  Introduction  by  Sidney  Lanier.    With  12 

full-page  illustrations  by  Alfred  Kappcs.    One  volume,  crown  8vo,  extra 

cloth  $3.00 

Unconsciously  as  he  reads  of  the  brave  deeds  wrought  by  the  gallant  soldiers  told  of  by 
Froissart  or  fancied  by  Mallory,  the  boy's  heart  is  thrilled  and  his  higher  nature  throbs  with, 
knightly  longings.  He  craves  for  himself  the  sturdy  courage  of  Bevis  of  Hampton,  the  courtly 
grace  of  Launcelot,  the  purity  of  Gallahad  ;  and  he  hates  with  an  honest  hatred  that  unleal 
scoundrel,  King  Mark.  He  learns  that  he  should  protect  those  who  are  less  strong  than  he  is 
himself ;  that  a  man  should  never  be  rude  to  a  woman  ;  that  truth  must  never  be  sacrificed,  and. 
that  the  most  cowardly  thing  that  a  man  can  do  is  to  flinch  from  his  duty." — Philadelphia.  . 
Times. 

THE   BOY'S  FROISSART. 

Beii.g  Sir  John  Froissart's  Chronicles  of  Adventure,  Battle  and  Custom  in  England, 
France,  Spain,  etc.  Edited  for  Boys,  with  an  Introduction  by  Sidney 
Lanier.  With  12  full-page  illustrations  by  Alfred  Kappes.  One  volume, 
crown  8vo,  extra  cloth  $3.oa 

"  It  is  quite  the  beau  ideal  of  a  book  for  a  present  to  an  intelligent  boy  or  girl.  *  *  *  Mr. 
Sidney  Lanier,  in  editing  a  boy's  version  of  Froissart,  has  not  only  opened  to  them  a  world  of 
romantic  and  poetic  legend  of  the  chivalric  and  heroic  sort,  but  he  has  given  them  something 
which  ennobles  and  does  not  poison  the  mind.  Old  Froissart  was  a  gentleman  every  inch  ;  he 
hated  the  base,  the  cowardly,  the  paltry  ;  he  loved  the  knightly,  the  heroic,  the  gentle,  and 'this 
spirit  breathes  through  all  his  chronicles.  There  is  a  genuineness,  too,  about  his  writings  that 
gives  them  a  literary  value.  *  *  *  It  is  like  travel  into  foreign  times  as  well  as  into  foreign 
fends,  and  getting  a  glimpse  of  the  era  of  Faith,  Simplicity  and  Sincerity.  It  thus  has  a  peculiatr- 
freshness  that  suggests  an  immortality  like  Homer." — Baltimore  Gazette. 


SCJilBNER'S  STANDARD  JUVENILE  BOOKS. 


7 


FRANK  R.  STOCKTON'S  POPULAR 
STORI£S. 


A  JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

By  Frank  R.  Stockton,  author  of   "Rudder  Grange."    Illustrated,    i  vol. 
i2mo,  extra  cloth  $1.50 

"'A  Jolly  Fellowship,'  by  Mr.  Frank  R.  Stockton,  is  a  worthy  successor  to  his  '  Rudder 
trrange.  Although  written  for  lads,  it  is  full  of  delicious  nonsense  that  will  be  enjoyed  by  men 
and  women  *  *  *  The  less  senous  parts  are  described  with  a  mock  gravity  that  is  the 
perfection  of  harmless  burlesque,  while  all  the  nonsense  has  a  vein  of  good  sense  running  through 
It,  so  that  really  useful  information  is  conveyed  to  the  young  and  untravelled  reader's  mind 
Fniladelphta  Evening  Bulletin. 


THE  FLOATING  PRINCE,  AND  OTHER  FAIRY 

TALES. 

By  Frank  R.  Stockton.    With  Illustrations  by  Bensell  and  others,    i  vol. 
quarto,  extra  cloth  $2.50 

"  Stockton  has  the  knack,  perhaps  genius  would  be  a  better  word,  of  writing  in  the  easiest 
of  colloquial  English  without  descending  to  the  plane  of  the  vulgar  or  commonplace.  The  very 
perfection  of  his  work  hinders  the  reader  from  perceiving  at  once  how  good  of  its  kind  it  is.  *  * 
With  the  added  charm  of  a  most  delicate  humor,— a  real  humor,  mellow,  tender,  and  informed  by 
a  singularly  quaint  and  racy  fancy,— his  stories  become  irresistibly  aitrSiCtiwQ.''^— Philadelphia 
Times. 


NEW  EDITIONS  OF  OLD  FA  VO RITES. 

ROUNDABOUT  RAMBLES  IN  LANDS  OF  FACT 
AND  FICTION. 

By  Frank  R.  Stockton,    i  vol.  4to,  boards,  with  very  attractive  lithographed 
cover,  370  pages,  200  illustrations.  A  new  edition.  Price  redueed  from  $3  to  $1.50 


TALES  OUT  OF  SCHOOL. 

By  Frank  R.  Stockton.  One  volume,  4to,  boards,  with  handsome  lithographed 
cover,  350  pages,  nearly  2CO  illus! rations.  A  new  edition.  Price  reduced 
from  $3  to  $1.50 

*'  The  Roundabout  Rambles  and  Tales  Out  of  School  are  two  large  handsome  volumes, 
full  of  stories  of  home,  travel  and  adventure,  and  the  elegance  and  finish  of  the  engravings 
can  scarcely  be  surpassed  in  juvenile  literature.  Without  and  within,  they  are  a  treasury  of 
beauty  and  enjoyment  for  the  children.'' — St.  Paul  Pioneer. 


CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS,  Publishers, 

743  &  745  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


3 


SCRIBNER'S  STANDARD  JUVENILE  BOOKS. 


WILLIAM  O.  STODDARD'S  CAPITAL 
STORIES  FOR  BOYS. 


DAB  KINZER. 

^  of  gt   0-Dro-v^i33.g  ^03^. 

By  WILLIAM  O.  STODDARD. 

One  volume,  i2mo,  330  pages  $1.00 

"A  really  good  story  for  boys  is  a  good  story  for  anybody  and  everybody.  Just  such  is  fur- 
nished in  the  volume  before  us." — Davenport  Gazette. 

"  It  fairly  brims  over  with  humor,  and  it  is  as  breezy  all  through  as  the  Long  Island  shore 
whereon  Dab  Kinzer  lived."— ^  w^^zV««  Rural  Home. 

"  The  book  is  enlivened  with  a  racy  and  genuine  humor.  It  is,  moreover,  notably  healthy  in 
its  tone,  and  in  every  way  is  just  the  thing  for  \>oys:''  —Philadelphia  North  American. 

"  It  is  full  of  fun,  liveliness  and  entertainment.  Dab  Kinzer  will  be  voted  a  good  fellow, 
whether  at  home,  at  school,  or  out  —Portland Press. 

"  It  is  written  in  that  peculiarly  happy  vein  which  enchants  while  it  instructs,  and  is  one  of 
those  thoroughly  excellent  bits  of  juvenile  literature  which  now  and  then  crop  out  from  the  sur- 
face of  a  mass  of  common-place."— P/zz7«^/£?///zm  Press. 

"  In  a  literary  point  of  view,  we  are  inclined  to  rank  this  book  among  the  first  of  its  kind. 
*  *  *  A  fathar  who  wants  his  boy  to  grow  up  in  a  manly  way,  may  find  in  such  books  some- 
thing to  help  him  amazingly."— Orz.y/za«  Intelligencer. 


THE  QUARTET. 

^  SocL"^ol  to  '^XDsuTo  Kliiriz;©^:-.'" 
By  WILLIAM  O.  STODDARD. 
One  volume,  i2mo,  330  pages  $1.00 

"  The  boys  who  read  Dab  Kinzer  will  be  delighted  with  '  The  Quartet.'  It  is  the  story  of 
Dab's  school  and  college  life,  and  certainly  equals  the  former  story  in  interest.  In  a  literary 
point  of  view  it  ranks  among  the  best  of  its  kind.  There  are  few  writers  of  boy's  books  who 
present  boy  life  in  the  strong,  sympathetic,  manly  way  that  Mr.  Stoddard  does.  His  good  boys 
are  genuine,  fun  loving,  careless,  but  royal  hearted.  In  the  words  of  one  of  their  admirers: 
'  They're  a  fine  lot,  take  'em  all  round.'  ^''—Bostjn  Post. 

"  The  Quartet  is  marked  by  all  the  brightness  and  incident  which  made  '  Dab  Kinzer'  such 
a  favorite  with  the  boys.*  *  *  If  any  father  would  live  over  his  boyhood  days  again,  and  like- 
wise put  two  healthy  and  breezy  books  into  his  children's  hands,  let  him  read  these  two  volumes 
and  then  hand  them  over  to  the  boys  of  the  family.*  *  *  While  free  from  all  trace  of  preach- 
ing, there  is  a  bracing  religious  atmosphere  about  the  books  which  will  make  them  good  reading 
for  the  family  in  every  se^nsQ.^''— Examiner  and  Chronicle. 


CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS,  Publishers, 

743  &  745  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


SCRIBNER'S  STANDARD  JUVENILE  BOOKS. 


9 


MRS.  MARY  MAP£S  DODGE'S  CHARMING 

BOOKS. 


A  NE  W  ILL  US TRA  TED  EDITIO N  OF 

HANS  BRINKER;   or,  the  Silver  Skates. 

^  Stoary  of  Ijifo  ±30.  HCollgLnca.- 
By  Mrs.  MARY  MAPES  DODGE, 
Author  of  ''Rhymes  and  Jingles ^  and  Editor  of  '' St.  Nicholas.'' 

With  twelve  full-page  illustrations.  One  vol.  i2mo,  cloth,  beveled  edges  $1  50 
Also  Holiday  Edition,  with  sixty  illustrations   3 

1  ^°f,'^^^^r"'  better  as  a  gift  than  a  copy  of  Mrs.  Dodge's  '  Hans  Brinker ; 

or,  the  Silver  Skates,  of  which  we  are  now  given  a  new  and  beautiful  edition  ?  This  is  one  of  the 
most  charming  of  juvenile  stories,  dealing  with  fresh  scenes  and  a  strange  life,  and  told  with  sweet 
sunphcity  and  great  hi2.MtY —Consregationalist. 

"  This  book  has  been  a  great  favorite,  not  only  in  America  but  in  other  lands.    The  author 

whichZr"       r  T'^'t^'       ^"'^^"^  °f  this  charming  narrative, 

which  teaches  so  finely  the  noblest  lessons  of  character  and  life,  while  picturing  the  customs  ani 
rscenes  of  Holland."— ^^jy^^^^-Zj^,,. 


RHYMES  AND  JINGLES. 

By  Mrs.  MARY  MAPES  DODGE, 
Editor  of  "St.  Nicholas." 
Profusely  illustrated.    One  vol.  small  quarto,  extra  cloth,  a  new  edition  $1.50 

y.r;  7i?r         ^  7"^^'^°^  nonsense  rhymes  and  verses  of  the  soundest  sense  ;  there  are 

so  cln  ?  f  "      "/T  ''''''  ^"  ^^^^^       ^^-^  -Id-'  -hile  s;me  of  the 

.so-called  rhymes  include  verses  which  are  as  truly  poetical  as  anything  in  the  language. 

Some  of  these  poems  have  been  pronounced  "without  rivals  in  our  language."  In  the  new 
^dition  now  published,  Mrs.  Dodge  has  made  a  careful  revision  of  the  work.  Every  child  should 
Aave  a  copy  of  these  witty  and  beautiful  verses.  ^  ^ 


CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS,  Publishers, 

743  &  745  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


10 


SCRIBNER'S  STANDARD  JUVENILE  BOOKS. 


NOAH  BROOKS'  OUT-Or-DOOR  STORIES 
FOR  BOYS. 


THE  FAIRPORT  NINE. 

By  NOAH  BROOKS, 
A  uthor  £>/  "  The  Boy  Emigrants. " 

One  volume,  i2mo  $i-25 

The  Fairport  Nine  have  their  closely  contested  base-ball  matches  with  the  "  White  Bears," 
and  the  description  will  bring  vividly  before  every  lover  of  that  manly  sport  similar  scenes  in 
which  he  has  shared.  But  they  also  have  their  Fourth  of  July  frolic,  their  military  company^ 
their  camp  in  the  woods,  and  the  finding  of  hidden  treasure,  with  many  boyish  episodes,  in  which, 
are  faithfully  portrayed  the  characteristic  features  of  American  boys'  life  in  the  country.  It  is  a 
capital  story,  with  a  manly  and  healthful  tone,  and  will  go  straight  to  a  boy's  heart. 

"  As  a  thoroughly  wholesome  and  delightful  book  for  boys,  '  The  Fairport  Nine '  is  not  likely 
to  have  its  superior  this  season.  It  is  published,  moreover,  in  an  attractive  form,  with  a  taking 
cover  and  frontispiece." -AT".  V.  Evening  Mail. 


THE  BOY  EMIGRANTS. 

By  NOAH  BROOKS. 

One  volume,  x2mo,  cloth.     New  edition.    With  Illustrations  by  Thomas  Moran, 
W.  L.  Sheppard,  and  others  $i-50 

"  The  Boy  Emigrants  "  is  a  story  of  the  adventures  of  a  party  of  young  gold  seekers  on  the 
Overland  Emigrant  Route,  and  in  California,  during  the  early  rush  to  the  mines.  Since  the: 
author  was  himself  an  emigrant  of  this  description,  the  scenes  and  incidents  are  drawn  from  life, 
and  the  book  may  be  accepted  as  a  fresh  and  vivid  picture  of  life  on  the  Plains  and  in  the  mines  . 
from  an  entirely  novel  point  of  view. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  best  boy's  stories  we  have  ever  read.  There  is  nothing  morbid  or  unhealthy 
about  it.  The  author  sets  before  his  readers  no  impossible  goodness  or  unattainable  perfection.. 
His  heroes  are  thorough  boys,  with  all  the  faults  of  their  ^.^^r —Christian  at  Work. 

"  We  do  not  think  we  have  had  so  far  any  painting  of  the  scenes  on  the  Plains  in  the  early 
days  of  the  emigration  to  this  State  which,  artistically,  will  at  all  compare  with  that  dashed  off 
by  Mr.  Brooks.  The  sketches  of  mining  adventures  which  subsequently  occurred  have  the  rare: 
merit  of  being  true  to  the  life  and  the  fact."— ^jiw  Francisco  Bulletin. 


CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS,  Publishers, 

743  &  745  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


SCmBNER'S  STANDARD  JUVENILE  BOOKS. 


11 


PHAETON  ROGERS. 

By  RossiTER  Johnson.    One  volume.  i2mo.    With  illustrations   .$1.50. 

"  As  for  '  Phaeton  Rogers,'  the  adventures  of  that  remarkable  boy  and  his  colleagues  who 
investigate  the  mysteries  of  the  art  preservative,  are  full  of  delightful  humor,  in  which  the  oldest 
member  of  the  family  can  ■s.^m^zxYixz^y —Minneapolis  Journal. 

"  One  of  the  funniest,  liveliest  juvenile  stories  of  the  year  is  '  Phaeton  Rogers,'  by  Rossiter  - 
Johnson.    The  writer  shows  as  much  ingenuity  in  inventing  comical  adventures  and  situations  as 
Phaeton  does  with  his  kite-teams,  fire-ladders,  and  covci^\.s:''—Holyoke  Transcript. 


A  NEW  EDITION  A  T  REDUCED  PRICE. 

ABOUT    OLD  STORY-TELLERS. 

OF  HOW  AND  WHEN  THEY  LIVED,  AND  WHAT  STORIES  THEY 
TOLD.  By  Donald  G.  Mitchell.  Author  of  "The  Reveries  of  a  Bach- 
elor,"' etc.,  etc.    With  numerous  illustrations.    One  volume,  i2mo.  .  .  .$1.25. 

"  Mr.  Mitchell's  literary  style,  so  chaste,  simple  and  pure,  is  admirably  adapted  for  this  kind 
of  writing,  and  he  employs  his  facile  and  congenial  pen,  in  the  present  instance,  with  entire  suc- 
cess. '  About  Old  Story-Tellers'  is  made  up  of  the  best  of  the  old  stories,  gathered  from  all 
sources,  re-told  in  Mr.  Mitchell's  inimitable  manner,  and  interwoven  with  lively  sketches  of  the 
original  writers  and  the  times  in  which  they  flourished." — New  Haven  Journal  and  Courier. 


THE  SERPENT-CHARMER. 

By  Louis  Rousselet,  author  of  ' '  India  and  its  Native  Princes. "  Translated 
from  the  French  by  Mary  de  Hauteville.  One  volume,  crown  8vo,  extra  cloth. 
Numerous  illus!  rations  $2.50 

"  We  can  recQmmend  the  book  without  reserve." — London  Spectator. 

"  The  Serpent-Charmer  "  is  a  story  of  adventure  and  perilous  exploit  in  India  at  the  time  of 
the  Sepoy  mutiny.  The  notorious  Nana  Sahib  is  a  character  of  the  story,  and  the  interest  cen- 
tres in  the  escape  of  a  French  boy,  and  the  rescue  of  his  sister  through  the  aid  of  an  old  serpent- 
charmer.  The  author's  long  residence  in  India,  and  his  acquaintance  with  all  phases  of  native 
life,  have  enabled  him  to  make  a  book  of  great  interest.  The  illustrations,  like  those  in  hia 
*'  India  and  its  Native  Princes,"  are  very  beautiful  and  striking. 


CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS,  Publishers, 

743  &  745  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


12 


''''The  Prince  of  Story- Tellers." — London  Times. 

THE   WORKS   OF  JUI.ES  VERNE. 

THE  COMPLETE  AND  AUTHORIZED  EDITIONS. 

The  following  works  of  M.  Jules  Verne  are  published  by  Messrs.  Charles  Scribner's  Sons, 
by  arrangement  with  Messrs  Sampson  Low  &  Co.,  of  London,  in  accordance  with  the  right 
ceded  to  them  by  MM.  Hetzel  &  Co.,  the  publishers  of  M  Verne's  works  in  the  original  French 
edition.  These  volumes  contain  all  the  illustrations  of  the  French  edition,  and  are  the  only  com- 
plete and  authorized  books  of  M.  Jules  Verne  published  in  this  country. 


JULES  VERNE'S  GREA  TEST  WORK 

THE   EXPLORATION   OF  THE  WORLD. 


Three  volumes,  8vo,  extra  cloth,  with  loo  full-page  engravings  in  each.  Price,  per 
volume  $3.50 

The  work  includes  three  divisions,  each  in  one  volume  complete  in  itself. 

I.  Famous  Travels  and  Travellers. 

II.  The  Great  Navigators. 

III.  The  Explorers  of  the  Nineteenth  Century. 

Each  volume  in  the  series  is  very  fully  illustrated  with  full-page  engravings  by  French  artists 
of  note;  and  the  volume  of  "FAMOUS  TRAVELS"  is  made  still  more  interesting  by  many 
fac-similes  from  the  original  prints  in  old  voyages,  atlases,  etc. 

Even  if  truth  were  not  stranger  than  fiction,  to  the  healthful  mind  it  ought  to  be  far  more 
fascinating.  _  Such  works  as  this  are  not  only  entertaining  and  informing,  but  their  whole  atmos- 
phere is  bracing  They  are  as  much  better  than  sentimental  heart  histories  or  imaginary  per- 
sonal experiences  as  a  day  in  the  open  air  is  better  than  a  day  in  a  close  and  crowded  apartment." 
— N.  Y.  Observer. 

"  The  book  may  very  well  be  a  favorite  at  the  holiday  time,  but  it  has  permanent  worth  and 
permanent  interest  also,  which  will  give  it  a  place  in  well-selected  libraries." — N.  Y.  Evenine 
Post.   

JULES  VERNE'S  OTHER  WORKS. 
Michael  Strogoff;   or,  the  Courier 

of  the  Czar.  Profusely  illustrated  after 
designs  by  Riou.  i  vol.,  8vo.  New  edi- 
tion  -.  $2.00 

The   Mysterious   Island.     Vol.  I. 

Dropped  from  the  Clouds  Vol.  IL  Aban- 
doned. Vol.  IIL  The  Secret  of  the  Island. 
The  complete  work  in  i  vol.  with  150  illus- 
trations.   8vo,    Price  $300 

A  Journey  to  the  Centre  of  the 

Earth  With  52  full-page  illustrations,  i 
vol.,  8vo   $3.00 

Stories  of  Adventure.  Comprising 
"Meridiana,"  and  ''A  Journey  to  the 
Centre  of  the  Earth."  68  full-page  illus- 
trations.   I  vol.,  IMQO..  ,  $i.So 


From  the  Earth  to  the  Moon  Di- 
rect in  Ninety-Seven  Hours,  Twenty 
Minutes  ;  and  a  Journey  Around  it.  i  vol., 
i2mo  $1.50 

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